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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24596644">Eden 61</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/baeconandeggs/pseuds/baeconandeggs'>baeconandeggs</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/baekyeolangst/pseuds/baekyeolangst'>baekyeolangst</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>EXO (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Angels &amp; Demons, Demon Kyungsoo, Grim Reaper Sehun, M/M, Past Lives, Slight Chanyeol/Soojung, angel baekhyun, demon chanyeol, non-graphic mentions of violence, slight angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:23:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>35,342</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24596644</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/baeconandeggs/pseuds/baeconandeggs, https://archiveofourown.org/users/baekyeolangst/pseuds/baekyeolangst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Life turned to a spiral for the demon king, Loey, when the angel who was constantly present in his dreams started to appear in front of the gates of Hell, staring back at him with a look that he couldn’t fully decipher — sorrow, longing and a hint of unconditional love.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol, Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Oh Sehun, Jung Soojung | Krystal/Park Chanyeol</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>65</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>500</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>BAE2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Eden 61</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p><b>Prompt:</b> BAE111<br/><span class="small"><b>Disclaimer: baeconandeggs/the mods is/are not the author/s of this story. Authors will be credited and tagged after reveals.</b> The celebrities' names/images are merely borrowed and do not represent who the celebrities are in real life. No offense is intended towards them, their families or friends. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this fictional work. No copyright infringement is intended.</span></p><p> </p><p><b>Author's Note:</b> This is my first attempt at writing an angel/demon au, and it has been such a long &amp; difficult ride, I’m surprised that I managed to get this far. ( TT o TT ) This story wouldn’t even exist if it wasn’t for SA and NR, thank you for being my pillar of strength all throughout the duration of writing this fic. And thank you, thank you to the bae mods for their never-ending patience! And to anyone who’s reading this, I hope you’ll enjoy this story. ( n w n )</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>‘And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>And the Lord said, ‘my spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he is also flesh; yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bore children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.’</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>(Genesis 6:1-4)</span>
      </span>
    </i>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>EDEN 61</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>PROLOGUE</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>After centuries and centuries of basking in complete darkness, he had to cover his eyes the first time he saw it — a world so bright, it had hurt his eyes.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>This time, he wakes up on a bed of flowers, soft against his back, tickling his nape. He cranes his neck slightly, turning to his side, inspecting the place, still. A single bee lands just on the palm of his hand, and he catches it. He watches carefully as the small insect rubs its head on the tip of his thumb, somehow soothed by his touch, not at all frightened. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He frowns.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The sunlight pierces through the leaves of the tree he’s lying under, the warmth settling nicely on his cheeks just as wisps of cold breeze brush against his skin. When he carries himself up, he sees a flock of birds hovering just above the branch nearby. Two rabbits hop by his feet, sniffing with curiosity as he stares down at them, confused.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He wipes the dirt off his lap as he walks with full caution. He doesn’t let his guard down, not even when the two rabbits follow his every step, hopping adorably behind him. He stops in his tracks, turning around to glare at the two globes of snowy fur. “Go,” he nods towards the opposite way. “Stop following me, stupid cotton balls.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The rabbits ignore him once they hear the sound of footsteps turning left, long ears flickering up as they hop away, quick, bouncing on their feet. Curiosity catches the best of him as he trails along the pathway of peachy roses leading towards a glass dome full of red ones. He stops in his track once his gaze lands on the back of an angel whose wings are too huge to bear on such lithe shoulders.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There’s a familiar tune resonating within the dome, the notes of a piano that he has certainly heard before — yet could not determine when or where. The wind gusts through the branches of the trees nearby, brushing against soft jet-black hair, and before he could stop himself, he has his hand lifted, reaching out for the faraway angel.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I thought I told you not to be so mean to these animals,” the angel mumbles, so quiet that it flows along with the gusting wind. The way the angel’s fingers move against the piano catches his eyes, but he can’t seem to see the look on the angel’s face—only the sight of his wings covering his whole body. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I know,” he whispers, startling himself when the words crawl out of his throat on their own. He no longer has control. “I’m sorry.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It’s okay,” the angel chuckles softly, turning to his side, yet his snowy white wings are still hindering him from taking a closer look. Delicate fingers beckon him to come closer, patting the space on the small bench next to him. “Sit next to me, Chanyeol.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>HADES 04 — LOEY</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>i.</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>A sylphlike hand landed on his shoulder, startling him awake. Just a light touch against his skin and he was back in reality. The demon king’s right-hand man stepped away from his nightstand, chucking the bedsheets off his naked body with a single flick of his finger. Once welcomed by the glacial temperature of his chamber, Loey groaned, groggy voice deep with sleep deprivation. “Asshole,” he muttered. “Be nice to my special guest, at least.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>His butler glanced at the woman lying beside him, slender arm slithered around his waist with fabricated familiarity. Loey tried to refrain himself from chuckling too loud. Kyungsoo never really showed his true expressions, his signature frown almost permanent on his face, but Loey could sense whenever the younger demon felt irritated. Within a split second, his blank gaze returned to Loey once more. “The young boy… He’s here.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king’s eyebrow lifted with interest; mouth curved into a grin. “The one that you’ve been watching over?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He could not deny that at first, it was a little strange to him—how adamant Kyungsoo was when it came to that particular boy. The younger demon had spent years watching over the child. If Loey didn’t know any better, he would had considered Kyungsoo as the boy’s guardian angel—ironically.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Kyungsoo nodded. “He’s in the lobby. Sehun is accompanying him.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“How did it happen?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“He’d gotten a little smarter since the last time we saw him,” the younger demon said. “Took the kitchen knife and killed his parents in their sleep.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“And the bodies?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Left there to rot. He turned the knife on himself, now here he is.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“My, my.” Loey let out a gentle laugh. “Clever boy. Let’s give him a proper welcome, then.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The woman next to him stirred with a whine, seemingly irked by the voices of the two demons. “Christ, you guys are fucking loud,” she grunted, thrashing on satin sheets. She morphed into her true form in no time, crimson red horns piercing out of her head as she rubbed the crusty bits of sleep off her eyes.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Christ,” Loey chuckled ironically.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“My apologies, Soojung,” Kyungsoo said, nodding slightly towards the succubus. His expression was far from apologetic, and Loey noticed this. But he was not quite in the mood to witness his two close acquaintances bicker. He lifted himself off the bed, grabbing the silk robe from his butler’s awaiting hand.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Get rid of her,” Loey whispered when he passed by the younger demon. “That stench of hers is suffocating.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I heard that, you jerk.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey turned to the succubus and grinned sheepishly. “Then why are you still here?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He could practically hear the way she was seething from where he stood, knuckles cracking in anger, disappointment, and possibly even heartbreak. A peal of pained laughter ripped out of her throat as she dragged herself out of his chamber with her head hanging low. “Yet you still demand my presence at night,” she muttered.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Beg to differ.” Loey yawned. “You’ve gotten quite clingy nowadays, Soojung. You are a succubus; it’s your very duty to do this without expecting any emotional attachments.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>She swallowed. He only began to see the tears welling up in her reddened eyes when she spun around.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I didn’t ask to be—”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Kyungsoo took a step closer in front of her, blocking the other demon’s sight. “Enough, Soojung,” he snapped. “Please leave. It’s a busy day for us.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Without sparing one last glance at them, she left, slamming the door harshly on her way out. An overly dramatic scene that they were far too familiar with. Deep down, they both knew that she was going to come crawling back to Loey if he’d demanded her presence once more. It was her own foolish decision to fall for another demon. Loey sighed with a shake of his head, clicking on his tongue. “So disrespectful.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“That’s the third time this week,” Kyungsoo said, massaging his temples with tensed fingers. “You could’ve been a little nicer this time.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“No,” he huffed. “I’ve been way too soft on all of you these days. She needs to learn that demons shouldn’t fall in love. It’s distasteful.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“For someone who’s so fascinated with life on earth, I’d expected you to be more accepting of love. Or just... feelings, in general.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The corner of Loey’s mouth curved into a smirk. “You would like that, wouldn’t you?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Truthfully, yes. It would be nice.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Did you even see the way Soojung behaved?” Loey snorted. “Falling in love—it’s a sign of weakness.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Perhaps once you start to experience it yourself, you would change your mind, my lord.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>—</span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p><br/>
 </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Out of all the places that the demon king had created when he had built his empire on the grounds of Hades 04, Loey treasured his home the most. Abyss was a place where the demon king had spent almost the entirety of his lifetime, surrounded by his butlers and maids. And as he held a strong sense of fascination towards the human eye, Loey had reconstructed Abyss to appear as a place that one would’ve seen back on Earth.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>However, despite the ornamental, luxurious facade of the entire lobby of Abyss that Loey himself had designed, the young boy seemed scared. Terrified as his wide eyes glanced around, dry streaks of tears evident on plump rosy cheeks. His jittery fingers picked at the hem of his shorts as he sniffled. Had it not been for his young age, Loey would have been offended to be witnessing Hades 04’s recruit staring at the lobby’s interior design with such inexplicable fear in his eyes. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It’s been a while since we had a kid in here,” he murmured. “He looks scared.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“He’ll fit right in, there’s no worry,” Kyungsoo replied simply, and Loey knew better than to doubt his words. There was a reason why Kyungsoo had lasted as Loey’s right-hand man for so long—the demon was always truthful. Loey might even consider him as someone who knows him better than he knows himself.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The young boy’s frightened eyes widened when the servants announced Loey’s arrival, seemingly mesmerized at the sight of the other devils bowing their heads to the tall demon approaching him. Merely acknowledging them with a nod, Loey put on a bright smile, waving cheerfully to the boy. “Hello there, young one.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Before the boy could reply, the grim reaper sitting next to him let out a loud scoff, rolling his eyes. “What took you so long? I’m not a fucking babysitter.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Mind your language, Sehun,” Kyungsoo reprimanded, pausing when Loey lifted his hand.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The tip of the reaper’s ears grew red as he looked at the other demon, muttering under his breath. “S-Sorry, Kyungsoo.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Hey, Sehun.” The demon king grinned. “Thanks for bringing him here. You did a great job.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The grim reaper looked away with a huff, arms crossed tightly against his chest. “There’s no need to compliment me. I’m just doing my job,” he muttered. “I got two more kids down there to be taken care of, alright? You jerks are wasting my time.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The tip of Loey’s ears perked up as he beamed with newfound excitement. “Will we be welcoming more children?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“No,” Sehun deadpanned, swinging his scythe in a circular rhythmic motion, startling the young boy next to him. “They’re headed to Eden 61.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“How disappointing.” The demon king’s wide grin faltered as he sighed, shoulders slumped with dissatisfaction. “Those human children are too nice these days, Hades barely gets younger recruits now.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You got this one,” the grim reaper shrugged. “He seems alright.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>With his attention focused back on the young recruit, Loey’s smile returned. He dismissed the grim reaper with a wave, earning a disgruntled scoff before the latter walked away, not before stealing one final glance at the demon king’s loyal servant.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king kneeled before the boy, clasping the small hands. “Hey there.” He brought his hands to the boy’s wet cheek, pinching it gently. “Are you okay?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“W-Where…” the boy hiccupped, lightly choking on a leftover sob. “Where am I?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“This is Hades 04,” Loey replied. “The headquarters of the netherworld, if you may.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>An aloof voice came right next to him. “In other words, Hell.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Kyungsoo,” Loey grumbled with disappointment. “Don’t scare him off like that.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The young boy’s mouth gaped open as he stared at the two demons, blinking blankly with his head adorably tilted. “This is Hell? But where’s the—where’s all the fire? A-And the evil spirits?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“That would be us, young one.” Loey grinned, poking the dimple lodged on the boy’s cherry cheek. “Although I wouldn’t consider us evil. Are we evil, Kyungsoo?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Yes.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Only with the people we aren’t so fond of,” the demon king tried to reason. “But there’s no need for you to worry. You are one of us now, so we’ll take good care of you.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You haven’t answered my question.” The boy frowned. “Who are you?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“My name is—”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“—This is Loey. He is the ruler of the Hades 04,” Kyungsoo explained blankly. “In other words, he is the demon king.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I prefer being called the demon president.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“He may appear playful, but please, address him formally.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Mr. President sounds nicer to my ears.” </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“<i>Your Majesty </i>would suffice.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“How do you do, Mr. President?” Loey tested, liking the way it sounded on the base of his throat, humming with delight. “Yeah, I like that better.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Kyungsoo sighed, exasperated. “Please, my lord. Take yourself seriously for once.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“How about Loey, CEO of Hades 04?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“No.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Their abrupt banter pulled a bright giggle from the young boy, cheeks no longer damp from the tears of timidity.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You can just call me Loey,” he finally said with great solemnity, a hint of a small smile present on his face. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Still, he couldn’t quite comprehend why Kyungsoo was so taken with the boy ever since they saw him in his human form. Judging from the younger demon’s stiff exterior and cold demeanor, no one would have expected that Kyungsoo was the one who had urged the demon king to take the young boy under his care. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>He would be a great successor to your throne, </span>
      </span>
    </i>
    <span>
      <span>Kyungsoo had reasoned once, back on Earth, while they were observing the boy on the brink of dusk. <i>Soon, you will grow to love him.</i></span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>That was the only time that Loey had doubted him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>ABYSS, HADES 04 — LOEY</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>ii.</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>This time, it’s midnight.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He lets his feet lead him towards a nearby forest, dark and eerily quiet. He barely sees what lay ahead of him as he walks, kicking small pebbles on the pavement, and everywhere he goes, the familiar tune follows. It’s faint, he could barely hear it if it wasn’t for the serenity of the empty street. Yet it rings in his head like church bells, and the further he walks into the woods, the louder the tune gets.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It’s strangely soothing. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>When he finally gets closer to the source of the soft hums, he sees the familiar angel from afar. It is almost like a routine now; to fall deep asleep and to be pulled into a whole new dimension filled with wonders that seem painfully familiar; it keeps changing as he dreams, and dreams, yet the only figment of his imagination that remains the same is <i>him. </i></span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The dark-haired angel with broad wings, flapping in synchronization with his gentle humming—he’s sitting on a slippery rock by the riverbed now, dipping his foot with hesitance into the water. When he finally does, the angel bursts into a bright fit of laughter, pulling on his ankle when the coldness hits. The sound of it pulls a tight tug of the knot lodged in Loey’s throat, so harshly that he could feel the abrupt tears falling to his chin.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It’s too cold,” the angel whines, bringing his knees to his chest.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I told you that it was cold.” </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There it is again. The foreign voice that rolls itself out of his own mouth without him allowing it, without him even processing the sentences in his mind beforehand, as if talking to this angel in front of him is second nature.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel laughs. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Bubbly, gentle. Painful. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I know you did.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>With no trace of reluctance, Loey takes a seat on the ground just beside him, though he chooses to stare ahead, watching as the crusty autumn leaves drift away with the river’s smooth flow. His heart is thumping erratically under his chest now, and it almost makes him want to laugh out of shock. How long has it been since he last felt his heart beating?</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Go on, snowflake,” the angel says, pulling him out of his trance. “Try to put your feet in the water. It feels refreshing.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey shakes his head with a smile. “No, it’s too cold,” he says as he stretches his palm out, circling the band of gold attached to his ring finger. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>His breath hitches to his throat and stops when the angel scoots closer to him and his pathetically frozen state. His trembling fingers grip onto his knees tightly as he shuts his eyes, feeling powerless when the angel is so close to him, resting his head on Loey’s stiffened shoulders like it belongs there. The angel releases a sigh of contentment as he nuzzles his cheek, black hair tickling the demon’s neck.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Tell me,” the angel begins, the tip of his fingers hovering just above Loey’s palm and that foreign ring on his finger. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon’s skin almost burns with anticipation, both fear and yearning entwined into one, bubbling up from the base of his heart. “What is it?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angelic mirage of his dreams clasps their hands together, and Loey is almost convinced that they have done this before. The familiarity sends a jolt of a shock to his spine as he flinches once their fingers intertwine, yet he hasn’t even seen the angel’s face. Has no clue how he looked.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Have you been taking care of him?” The angel sounds so pained that he almost feels hesitant to answer him, afraid that anything he says might hurt him. “Is he okay?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey stares at their linked hands, quiet, unsure of what to answer. There are too many unanswered questions running in his mind now, yet he can’t bring himself to speak.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Chanyeol,” the angel starts to plead, his grip tensing. “Tell me, is he okay?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“...Yes,” the demon croaks out, despite not knowing who the angel was referring to — not even knowing who Chanyeol is. “He’s okay. You don’t have to worry.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Okay.” The angel exhales in relief. “Take good care of him, yeah?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey swallows, nodding. “I will.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Okay,” he repeats. “You may wake up now.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>—</span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>A soft gasp of wonder was the first thing he heard when he gained consciousness, waking up from his deep sleep. The demon king groaned at the sight of Hades 04’s new recruit standing next to his bed, staring at the most vulnerable part of his alternative form — his wings. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Your wings are huge,” the young boy murmured, bright eyes wide with fascination as he tugged on one of the feathers that was closest to his height, plucking it out without second thoughts. He seemed to not notice that he was beginning to grow his wings out too, small curves of bones protruding out of his small back. “They’re like…” The boy extended his chubby arms as far as he could manage, his jaw hanging with exaggeration. “This big.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“That’s not very big, then,” he muttered sarcastically, half asleep still. What on earth was the kid doing in his chamber so early in the morning, anyway? Loey took the time to glance around. Kyungsoo was nowhere to be found. “What are you doing here, tiny? How did you even get in here?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The boy chose to ignore his questions by patting the surface of the black feathers lightly, squealing when the demon king flapped his wings to shoo the boy away. Though instead of getting the message and backing away, the young boy giggled with fascination. “Why do you hide your wings during the day, Mr. President?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He sighed as the slightest desire for him to go back to sleep slowly dissipated. With a lazy swipe of his hand, he concealed the entirety of his black wings, irked by the boy’s captivation. “I’m not very fond of them.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“No, please don’t hide them!” the boy squealed with a pout. “They’re pretty!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You haven’t answered my question, little lucifer,” he muttered as he allowed his wings to reappear—just to put an end to the young boy’s irritating whines. “What are you doing here?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Kyungsoo told me to wake you up,” the boy said with a small grin. “He said that you promised to bring me around today. Like an orientation for newcomers!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“As far as I recall, you weren’t this excited when you were brought over here,” Loey chuckled lightly. “Warming up and familiarizing yourself with the environment already, I see.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The boy fell silent upon hearing the demon king’s accusation, his eyes dazed, deep in thought. Once he came to a realization, he mumbled, “I like it better here than my old home.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey’s gaze softened. The kid didn’t have a good life back on earth—that much he knew. The demon king had seen it once, how the boy had lived in poverty, always suppressing his hunger, isolated by his adoptive family. Every time Kyungsoo had gone down there just to watch over him, he’d return to Hades with sullen eyes, contrasting greatly with his constant blank expression. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Perhaps, back then, Kyungsoo had felt sorry for the boy for he was not accompanied by a guardian angel despite all the abuse he had gone through. If Loey had known better, he would say that Eden 61 was slacking in terms of protecting the boy throughout his childhood days.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I know, tiny,” the demon king hummed, ruffling the doe-eyed boy’s hair, swiping the strands of hair away. “Contrary to what people say, we demons are nice creatures. We just tend to appear scary sometimes.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You don’t look scary to me,” the boy said, pointing to his back. “You even hide your wings!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“This isn’t my true form. I think you would run sobbing if you ever see it.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Try me!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey chortled at the boy’s surge of confidence, shaking his head. “Nah, I prefer looking like an actual human.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It wasn’t exactly a hidden secret in the afterlife that the entirety of Hades 04 took an extreme turn once Loey became its ruler. There was something about life on earth that fascinated him, so much that he made the decision to replicate the things he’d seen on earth that he took a liking to. The demon king was almost certain that if the young boy saw his true demonic form the first time they had met, they wouldn’t be talking so comfortably.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“But not to worry—your body is slowly developing its demonic form.” Loey presented his palm, crimson flame igniting from the tip of his fingers. The boy’s curious eyes flickered red as the flame formed a vision of what lay ahead for the young demon once he was fully grown, embracing the true form of Apollyon, knighted as the next guardian of Hades 04. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>A part of Loey was concerned that the boy might not be ready to see such vision just yet, but as he pulled away, the flame extinguished by a soft blow of wind, and the boy stared up at him with a starstruck glare.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“That… was awesome,” the boy breathed out. “Do it again!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>His enthusiasm caused the demon king to laugh loudly, strangely endeared by the energy of the corrupted youth. It was a rare occasion for Hades 04 to welcome a child, and there might have even been a point where Loey would have disagreed to accept an innocent child. He knew that they belonged in heaven. But if Eden 61 had rejected an innocent, and welcomed the abusive parents into their world instead, then it was his responsibility to embrace the child into his realm.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He’d gladly take good care of the kid.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You’re unbelievable, tiny,” the demon king chuckled softly.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“...My name is Hyunjae,” the boy said quietly, shy as he clasped both his hands together, staring at the freshly polished marble floors of the demon king’s chamber.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Okay, Hyunjae.” Loey smiled. “Wanna go and meet the dragons?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>TARTARUS CITY, HADES 04 — LOEY</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>iii.</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He was unable to remember if there was a time where he had spent his evenings out of his chamber. It had been too long, certainly. The demon king wasn’t one to greet his servants or the other citizen of Hades, much less spending his time being surrounded by them. And even if he wasn’t cooped up in his chamber, at times like this, Loey would have been on Earth, wandering like a nomad with the perfect disguise, mimicking every inch of the human body.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>But there he was—in Tartarus City, the heart of Hades 04, unguarded—watching as Hyunjae cautiously approached the gaggle of goblins selling candied human lungs on sticks, reaching out with no fear to taste a sample piece. One of the older goblins was about to lash out on the young boy’s lack of manners before his gaze fell on the demon king’s glare, causing him to splutter in panic.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Are you sure you wanna try those, tiny?” Loey asked with a raised brow. “I don’t think you’ve developed the taste bud of a demon yet.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Hyunjae turned to him with glistening eyes, bottom lip jutting out in a small pout. “I just want to have a little taste…”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Alright.” He nodded towards the goblin’s way. “Just one bite.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>As the young demon picked at the piece of candy, tapping at its cracking glass surface, Loey tried his best not to laugh.<i>He’s not going to like it, </i>the demon king thought. Hell, even Loey himself hated the taste of human lung candies—absolutely despised the sugary, metallic taste and how chewy the texture was. Getting the boy to try such candy on his first week of getting used to turning into a demon wasn’t such a great idea.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>To the demon king’s surprise, the little lucifer gobbled the candy in an instant, humming in delight with his closed eyes when the sugar rush started to hit. “That’s so good!” Hyunjae exclaimed, making himself comfortable to the extent of squatting in front of the startled goblins, reaching out for another piece. “It’s so sweet!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You like it?” Loey snickered in disbelief. He might have underestimated the boy, seeing the way he shamelessly tried the other candied organs sold by the sidewalk. “Okay, okay, settle down, let me at least pay for them first.” He shook his head, laughing. “You’re unbelievable.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“T-There is no need for you to pay, sire,” the goblin stammered, head bowed low with respect.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I have to, or else this child would grow up spoiled,” the demon king snorted.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It took almost six and a half sticks of the candied lungs before Hyunjae finally turned to him, burping, little mouth splattered red. He wiped the blood away carelessly with a sheepish grin, staining his sleeves. “Can I have more?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“No way,” Loey huffed, yanking on the boy’s hand to drag him away before his eyes watered with forced tears again, begging for another candy. The demon king had never considered himself as someone so weak, but the child’s pout might just lead to him purchasing the whole store at this point. “We’re going back.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“But I want to explore a little more,” Hyunjae whined, tugging on his wrist. “I like hanging out with you, president. Don’t send me back just yet—Kyungsoo scares me sometimes.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“What are you talking about? Kyungsoo is way nicer than I am.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“He said that I have to go to school soon,” the boy grumbled. “I already went to school when I was still human, why do I still have to go to school in the afterlife?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“There are a lot of things that you need to learn about Hades,” the demon king replied. “Besides, don’t you wanna be a successful demon? Us demons can’t just possess people, you know. You need a degree in Human Possession for that.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Hyunjae sighed with great exaggeration, slapping his hand on his face dramatically. “Life is so tiring…”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>By the time they tried to leave the city, the streets were almost full of demons rushing to get home by sunset from their duties on earth, crowding around the main gates of Hades. With the gigantic-sized creatures walking about, the demon king could barely see the tiny head of the child tugging on his hand. He hoisted the boy up in his arms with one swift motion, growling when the streets became even more crowded.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I should’ve brought my guards along with us,” Loey muttered. The demons surrounding them were too busy to even notice who they were bumping into. Perhaps Kyungsoo was right when he said that the citizens of Hades 04 weren’t as intimidated by him as he thought they would be, but that was on him for concealing his true form, frustrating Kyungsoo with his stubborn preference of appearing more human than a demon.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There was a commotion coming from the gates of Hades 04, a crash so loud it had made the boy settling in his arms flinch with shock. “What was that?” Hyunjae squeaked out, fear evident in the trembling of his voice.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey’s brows furrowed deeply as he turned to the source of the ruckus, watching as the guards of the Hades gate trampled on a foreign creature. He growled, charging up to them with rage bubbling in the pit of his gut. Despite being the home of where evil lived, the demon king had never allowed violence to take place in his realm. It was unacceptable to him to know that the demonic guards had been roughhousing with the other creatures of Hades.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>His palms sparked with flame with no second thoughts, ardent inferno blasting towards one of the demon guards who was blocking his way. The young demon cradled in his arms whimpered, frightened as the demon king’s hand burned holes into his shirt unintentionally. Realizing this, his entire intention of almost burning the gates down backfired as he snapped himself out of his trance and glanced at the terrified boy.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Sorry, Hyunjae,” he muttered in a hush as the impact of his blast alarmed the entire crowd, staggering as the ground shook. “I forgot you were here.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The young boy trembled without a word, but the way he hid his face in the crook of the demon king’s neck assured him that it wasn’t him that the boy was scared of, and Hyunjae had turned to him to seek protection.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It had never crossed his mind how or <i>why </i>he felt such intense sense of protectiveness over the boy—why he held onto the little demon so tightly that it made his chest constrict, swayed by the unspoken bond between them—but the demon king ultimately resorted to standing down on his powers as the boy’s reaction to it had agitated him to no end.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon guard snarled as he spun around to face the cause of the explosion, only to back away when Loey stepped closer towards the ruckus that they had created. “Y-Your Majesty!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Who gave you such permission to inflict violence on a citizen of Hades?” the demon king demanded.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The guard’s knees fell to the ground in an instant as he bowed towards the king, his entire body shaking with fear upon catching the trace of anger in the demon king’s eyes. “My apologies, Your Majesty,” he managed to stammer out, albeit the quiver evident in his voice enshrouded the previous confidence he had when he had trampled on another creature. “B-But this isn’t a citizen of Hades 04! He is a trespasser, my lord!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It is true, Your Majesty,” the other guard defended, though his eyes were staring elsewhere. “The trespasser has been begging to enter Hades for the past few days, my lord.” The lowly demon swallowed. “Please, have mercy on us.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey glanced at the human-sized cage set behind the demon guards, their bodies hindering him from taking a proper look at the creature rattling against the heated metal chains. A pained whimper erupted from inside the cage when the creature thrashed against the chains, burning its skin with a sharp hiss. The sight of white caught his eyes, and the demon king was hit with wonder.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Step aside,” he muttered. “And I will have mercy on you.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The two guards shared a look before they nodded. “As you wish, my lord.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>With the young demon held tight in his embrace, Loey cautiously made his way towards the creature trapped in the cage. He couldn’t let his guard down around trespassers; ever since the downfall of the previous demon king all those centuries ago, Hades 04 had never experienced war or bloodshed while he was the successor of the throne. He couldn’t take the risk just yet.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The first sight of massive wings knocked him into a sense of familiarity that he couldn’t quite pinpoint where he had seen it before—yet he clearly remembered the details carved on the surface of those feathers, every curve of those wings engraved in the back of his mind like a distant memory. His eyes trailed the shape of white wings on the broad back, to the creature’s trembling shoulders, up to stygian black hair covering its eyes as it stooped down in pain.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey had been alive long enough to know what the creature was.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“An angel.” Hyunjae was the first one to speak, face no longer pressed against the demon king’s nape as he stared at the flapping of encaged wings, mesmerized.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>Yes, </span>
      </span>
    </i>
    <span>
      <span>Loey wanted to say, but the words were stuck in his throat, unable to escape. <i>An angel.</i></span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>At the sound of the child’s voice, the angel’s head shot up within a split second, and the demon king had almost staggered back at the intensity of it all when their gazes met in a hush, ocean eyes staring back at him with a look that he couldn’t decode. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel’s watering eyes widened as drops of tears fell against dampened cheeks, and the sight of it brought Loey back to the first time he had set his eyes on Hyunjae—how frightened they both looked, but there was also the comforting gaze they held that had a sense of similarity.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel’s mouth hung in a silent scream, trembling hands gripping the metal that burned his palms in an instant. In the small gaps of the cage, the angel managed to force his arms out, reaching for the demon king as he wept.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey remained quiet, frozen in his spot, unable to look away from the trespasser of Hades—an angel, out of all creatures, trying to invade Hell when he had rightfully belonged in the sweetest place that God had created.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Forcing himself to snap out of it, Loey managed to get the words to crawl out of his mouth. “You’re a citizen of Eden 61,” he stated.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The crying angel looked like he was about to say something, but soon resorted to nodding his head frantically. His wings covered his body as a sense of protection, but the small cage gave him limited movements, burning the tips of the wings off as he flinched with pain.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“What is an angel from Eden doing here?” the demon king asked.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“He’s hurt,” Hyunjae said. Loey could almost feel the urgency in the way the boy kept patting his shoulder. “Help him!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey had no choice but to deny the boy’s wish, for it didn’t matter if the angel seemed familiar—as the ruler of Hades 04, the safety of his realm was in his hands. He couldn’t risk it by granting a runaway angel’s pleas to step into Hades. “No. He needs to be sent back to Eden 61. Keeping him here might start an uproar in both realms.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“But his wings…” the little boy mumbled, upset. “One of them is broken. Can’t we nurse him back to health, then take him back to Eden?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king saw the way the angel whimpered in pain, arching his back as his wings flailed beyond his control, jolting from the shock of hitting the lava-coated metal bars. Hyunjae grabbed the king’s face with small hands, almost squishing his cheeks together as his expression morphed into the most intimidating look that a 5-year-old could ever put on.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Loey,” the boy started, firm, as if he would not take no for an answer. “Take him home with us.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king raised a brow at the tone of the child’s voice, noting to himself that he might have to reprimand the boy for the way he spoke once they returned home.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Home.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He glanced at the injured angel, sighing. The creature wasn’t supposed to be here. Who knows how the rulers of Eden would react if they ever realized that one of their angels went missing? Loey couldn’t afford to go against the archangel of Eden 61—couldn’t go through the risk of putting his realm in danger just because of a mishap with Eden’s lost angel entrapped in a cage made for a threat.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey turned back to the little boy who glared at him with fiery determination sparkling in his eyes, fresh new fangs peeking out of his red gums. The way Hyunjae’s silver-streaked hair spiked up to represent his bubbling anger almost made the demon king want to laugh. “You need to watch your sharp mouth,” Loey chided with a small smile. It faltered quickly, though, when he turned to the guards.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Release him,” Loey demanded. “And bring him to Abyss.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>EARTH — KYUNGSOO</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>iv.</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There was something about Earth that left him feeling rather unsettled.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Perhaps it was the memories of the past that he had desperately wanted to forget, or if it was the gullibility of these humans roaming around in their world, unaware of the afterlife and how grueling life could get from then on. He watched as the grim reaper extracted the bittersweet memories out of the soulless body lying on the snowy ground. Crimson red icicles were now slowly forming across the street.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Nosy passers-by had been crowding the streets ever since the major crash took place, yet no one bothered to cry for help, and now the ambulance was about two and a quarter seconds too late. That was what Kyungsoo hated the most about humans—they’d only ever cared about themselves. Pretentious, each and every one of them.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Ah, she’s lived a nice life, this one,” Sehun said once he was done observing the details of her memories projected before him. It oddly reminded the demon of a slideshow. “One more soul for Eden 61 to take under their care.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Good,” Kyungsoo replied, stoic. He glanced at the broken truck, crashed against a nearby pole, parts of it now scattered across the street. “I guess the drunk driver belongs to Hades 04, then.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Yep.” The grim reaper popped his lips like bubble gum, grinning widely. “He’s not dead yet, though. Has a chance of surviving, so I won’t be taking his soul today.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I see.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“So, uh, I have a few hours to spare before I gotta go and deliver her soul to Eden.” Sehun whistled, scratching the back of his head, coy. “You wanna turn into human form and fool around at a bar or something, just for a while?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“No,” the demon said simply, frowning. He despised his human form the most—only ever using it if it was necessary to a certain situation, and so far, such occasions had yet to happen. “Why would I do that?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Okay,” the grim reaper grumbled, muttering under his breath. “Didn’t have to be so mean about it.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I wasn’t being mean,” Kyungsoo denied, walking away from the crime scene. There was nothing to see now. “Hades has bars too. I don’t know why you would prefer spending your time here on earth just to fool around.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Why are you down here, then?” Sehun skipped cheerfully behind him, catching up with his pace as he dragged his scythe. Kyungsoo grimaced. He really needed to remind the reaper to thoroughly clean it sometime soon.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Because I was bored,” he admitted. “Loey went to Tartarus City today. He brought the child along with him.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Upon mentioning the demon king, Kyungsoo could see Sehun’s previously-cheery expression morphing into something along the lines of disinterest. The grim reaper acknowledged his reply with a simple hum, dark grim smile evident on his face.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“And I also wanted to see you,” the demon mumbled truthfully. With Eden 61 welcoming more souls into its realm, Kyungsoo barely saw the grim reaper anymore. He didn’t necessarily miss him—it was just that the demon felt less lonely when the reaper was around.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Sehun’s head snapped towards him with a crack so loud, the demon was almost concerned that there might have been a fracture. “Really?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Yes.” Kyungsoo nodded. “There isn’t much to do whenever I’m all alone in Hades. I don’t really talk to anyone besides Loey and well… you.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The blinding smile stretched across the grim reaper’s face was beyond bright by now, pale cheeks tinted red. He radiated so much warmth that almost made Kyungsoo forget that it was winter.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You can just call for me whenever you feel like spending time with me, you know?” Sehun gushed, not even bothering to conceal his excitement as he bounced on his feet. “Keep me company while I’m at work. We can even watch the human soul’s memories together. It’ll be like watching a movie.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Okay.” He sighed.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Dusk was almost approaching. Kyungsoo stared up at the darkened sky to pick at the frosted snowflakes falling against his cheek, cold against his skin. He needed to return to Hades 04 soon—knowing from that moment on, things would not be the same again. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Soon, the past would resurface, and he was not ready to see the man that he had been trying to protect would possibly get hurt once more. For centuries, he had tried his best, though he knew that the inevitable would happen soon.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>After all, the punishment had been lifted.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Maybe it’s time I let all of this go.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Sehun’s gaze softened as he shaded the demon from the snowstorm. “The demon king will be okay,” the reaper assured knowingly. “He’s about to experience happiness for the second time. Don’t you think you deserve to be happy too, after all these centuries?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I suppose you’re right.” He nodded. “I think I’m a little too protective of a mere friend.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It’s admirable, honestly,” Sehun chuckled softly. He held onto the demon’s hand, pulling him into his arms as the whirlwind was created on his command, dispersing them back into their realm. “One of the reasons why I like you so much.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>ABYSS, HADES 04 — LOEY</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>v. </span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You can put him over there.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king stifled a knowing smirk as he watched the way the guards stepped into Abyss’ personalized dungeon cautiously, well aware of the massive serpentine creature encaged behind the molten metal bars of the dungeon. The dragon’s eyes glinted with a note of familiarity as Loey approached it, reaching out to rub the surface of the creature’s nose as a distraction while the guards brought the encaged angel into the underground prison.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>When the guards had left hurriedly, sparing no other glance towards the demon king and his dragons, Loey sauntered towards the smaller cage where the angel was forced to stay in. It seemed like the angel had long lost the last bits of energy he had, having thrashed about from within the cage ever since Loey had seen him in front of the gates of Tartarus.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He crouched down to scrutinize the angel’s state, watching as the angel’s lidded eyes blinked slowly, almost falling into a state of unconsciousness. The demon king reached over the molten bars to tap on the angel’s face, unfazed as the heat of the lava-coated metal touched his skin with a searing hiss.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You,” he called out. “Who are you, and what do you want?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel did nothing but let out a weak whimper, barely a sound as the demon king continuously tapped on the sunken cheek. Only then, Loey had truly noticed the wounds that scattered across the angel’s skin, along with a ring-shaped fresh bruise wrapped around the celestial being’s neck. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He frowned at the horrible sight—it had seemed like the angel had bad blood with a particular realm. It didn’t matter where. The demon king had to get rid of the angel as he could have the potential to lure danger into the land of Hades.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Look, angel,” Loey said, grabbing onto the angel’s jaw harshly. “I’ll let you out if you tell me the truth. Why are you here?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel had opened his mouth as if to speak, but no words were uttered as Loey felt the angel’s head drooping in his hold. The frail body slammed against the front of the cage once the angel had fully lost his consciousness, dazed eyes shut, and the demon king retracted his hand before he hurriedly unlocked the cage with panic as the scorching hiss of the angel’s skin burning on the metals had echoed across the dungeon. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Fuck,” Loey muttered a curse under his breath, his hands fumbling with the lock. He knew that by trying to unlock the cage and risk the danger that could possibly await him once he had released the injured angel—but the demon king could not let the angel’s life end under his territory, either. If such events transpired, Loey would be burdened with an even heavier risk.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>As the cage unlocked with a click, the demon king was knocked down by the impact of the angel’s weakened body that had fallen onto him with a thud. The angel in his arms had reeked of burned flesh, and it had made Loey grimace as his eyes trailed over the angel’s body, observing each and every blotch of reddened scars etched onto the ashen skin.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Hey, angel,” the demon king spoke, his voice hitching with alarm as he lightly slapped the angel’s cheek. “Wake up.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>When the angel showed no signs of gaining consciousness, Loey grunted with frustration as he gripped onto the other’s shoulders, shaking him hastily. “You better not fucking die here.” The demon king spat. “Be sure to head back to Eden 61 if you wanna do that.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Contrary to the citizens of Hades 04’s popular belief, the demon king had never considered resorting to physical violence, especially if it wasn’t necessary—but as the seconds passed, Loey’s patience grew thinner. He kept trying to elicit any sort of response from the angel by tapping on the angel’s sunken cheek for almost the past half an hour. By the time he had reached the brink of his patience, the demon king watched as the angel finally stirred with a pained frown.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Good, you’re finally awake.” Loey huffed, slightly relieved. “Do you know where you are right now, trespasser?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel blinked slowly once he had awakened, whimpering in pain as he touched the fresh wound scored on his skin. When the angel turned to look at him, Loey watched as the angel’s sullen eyes widened in surprise, glistening with tears. “C-Chan—” the angel struggled to speak, rasping breathlessly before he wrapped his arms around the demon king’s neck. “C…Chanyeol…”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey felt the angel quiver as he cried against the demon king’s neck, frantically stammering incoherence. Due to his shock, the demon king shoved the weeping angel away before he staggered back with alarm. “Don’t touch me!” Loey shouted, shuddering when he felt the angel’s tears dampening his coat.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel began to cough from the harsh impact, clutching onto his bruised neck as blood dripped from his mouth, splattering all over the cold floor. Still, the angel had tried to reach out for the demon king, trembling with each sob. “C-Chanyeol…” the angel’s voice quivered as he cried out in pain.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king could only watch the weeping angel as he kept crying out the same name over and over, until his mouth bled, until there was nothing but quiet gasps that crawled out of the angel’s throat.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>Chanyeol.</span>
      </span>
    </i>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The familiarity of the name had raised havoc in the demon king’s mind as he felt a shiver jolting down his spine. Loey looked away when he found the angel staring at him with reddened tearing eyes. It was the evident pain tinting the angel’s eyes that had the demon king completely turning away, stricken with guilt. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I’m only going to ask you one last time,” the demon king finally spoke. “Who are you?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He was unable to get an answer as he realized that the angel’s croaking voice had turned into absolute silence.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>ABYSS, HADES 04 — KYUNGSOO</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>vi.</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I ate human lung candies today!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It hadn’t even been a minute since Kyungsoo had returned to Abyss, and the young demon was hopping by his legs already, tugging on the hem of his coat. Hyunjae’s fangs have grown now, his bright irises slowly turning vermillion. It would be a short matter of time before his powers start to manifest—he just hoped he would be able to train the boy how to control it in time.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“What a way to greet someone,” Kyungsoo remarked with sarcasm.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The boy simply grinned with no regrets. “We also caught an angel while we were in Tartar!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Tartarus,” Kyungsoo corrected. “And where would that angel be, now?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“In the dungeon, with the dragons.” The young demon pouted, rubbing his hands together. “I wanted him to stay with me in my room…” He leaned in closely to whisper, glancing around as if he was about to spill a huge secret. “But Loey said that it was dangerous to talk to a stranger.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“He was right, partially,” Kyungsoo replied through gritted teeth. “It isn’t safe to speak to strangers, but it’s also rude to keep an angel in a dungeon.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Hyunjae’s eyes grew wide at the older demon’s retort, pointing towards him to prove his point. “That’s what I said!” </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There was a harsh pull of his gut when he laid his eyes on the boy—despite the demonic features developing slowly on his face and body, he still had the bubbly grin that Kyungsoo had only seen on a few occasions in the past. “You’re extremely smart,” he noted. “I’ll be right back. Just stay here.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Are you going to check up on the angel?” Hyunjae asked. “Can I come with you?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Stay here, I said.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“But—”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You’ll see the angel soon,” he reassured the boy, hesitating for a moment before he resorted to patting the boy’s head for comfort. “I promise. I’ll come back and bring him along with me.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Okay,” Hyunjae finally relented, nodding with excitement. “Don’t take too long!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>—</span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king was certainly insane, leaving an angel alone with man-eating <i>dragons.</i>Kyungsoo sighed deeply as he approached the angel cuffed to the chains in the corner of the dungeon, trembling even while he was unconscious. Bruises blossomed on the angel’s body, the skin of his ankle almost tearing from the weight of the metal chains. The demon kneeled on the floor right next to the angel, abrupt tears welling in his eyes.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It had been too long since he last wept. Come to think of it, the last time he had cried had been the day he held the angel in his arms, only to feel the angel slipping out of his hold in an instant.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Baekhyun,” he murmured, voice cracking, bringing the angel into his arms as a sob threatened to break out of his chest, though he could not afford to be vulnerable now. This time, the angel needed him more than ever.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>At the sound of Kyungsoo’s low voice and the touch of his warm hand against Baekhyun’s cheek, the angel jolted awake, alarmed, thrashing in Kyungsoo’s embrace.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Shh, it’s okay, Baekhyun,” he hushed, rubbing the angel’s back to soothe him. “It’s just me. It’s Kyungsoo.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun halted almost instantly, pulling back to take a clearer look of the demon holding him in his arms. After centuries of not doing so, Kyungsoo gave him a small smile. It was the only way to greet an old friend.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel smiled back shakily. He seemed relieved.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It’s been such a long time,” Kyungsoo said. The angel nodded with fervor, his wobbly smile never wavering despite the pain that Eden had most definitely put him through for centuries. Baekhyun grabbed Kyungsoo’s left hand to trace his finger on the demon’s palm.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>‘Too long,’ </span>
      </span>
    </i>
    <span>
      <span>he wrote.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon’s eyes shot up to look at the angel in shock once he realized that Baekhyun no longer had the strength to speak. Kyungsoo traced the tip of his fingers lightly on the dark bruises around the angel’s neck as he frowned with concern. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Baekhyun…” the demon’s voice cracked with sorrow. “I’m so sorry.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>HADES 04 — LOEY</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>vi.</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He shakes himself out of the stupor he was in and blinks as he registers his surroundings. It seems like he’s dreaming once again, definitely—Hades has never appeared so… calming before. This time, he's sitting on dampened grass, the tips of it tickling his bare feet, and there he is; that familiar angel sleeping next to him, head propped on his lap, facing the other way. He frowns. It doesn’t matter how many times he experiences the same dream, again and again, the sleeping angel has always appeared faceless.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Still, absentmindedly, he cards his fingers through the angel’s hair, chuckling gently when the latter sighs with comfort. “You’re going to fall asleep soon,” he says, yet his fingers never stop combing the strands of soft hair, falling into a rehearsed rhythm, as if it’s something he’s used to doing.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There’s a teasing tone in the angel’s voice as he replies, “You’re asleep too, no?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He rolls his eyes at the playful retort as he lightly tugs onto the jet-black locks, earning a stifled shriek from the angel in his arms. “Hey,” the angel calls out for him, tapping his arm.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He’s unable to reply, though—struck with shock as the angel turns around in his hold, and he’s greeted with the sight of a joyful smile and rosy cheeks on a face that he has definitely seen before; tear-stricken eyes behind a metal cage, crying out as he pleaded to be free, arms stretched with all his might to reach out for him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Though in his dreams, the angel looks far from sad. He leans closer to the demon, craving for his warmth, more, more, more as his hand reaches for him with little to no effort. The angel grazes the tip of his fingers across his face, and to his surprise, his body is moving on its own again—grasping on the angel’s silk robes, pressing their foreheads together as they fall into a fit of silent laughter.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>A light kiss is pressed against his lips, and before the latter begins to pull away, he’s trailing after the angel to demand more, more, more. Never enough.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Hey, Chanyeol,” the angel whispers against his mouth, and he’s holding him as if he would disappear anytime soon. “There’s no need for us to meet in our dreams now.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>—</span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>When Loey woke up that morning, he had almost expected to see the little demon standing by his bed. Hyunjae gave him a timid giggle when the demon king caught him trying to tickle the tip of his nose with a single feather. “A very good morning to you, my lord,” the boy sang-song playfully, waving the feather around in the air with swooshing sounds.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Where did you get that, you brat?” Loey groaned. It was too early to be tolerating the child’s antics. And to think that Kyungsoo was the one who was supposedly in charge of taking care of the boy… The demon king’s head flopped back onto the silky pillow as he released an irritated grunt.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Plucked it from that angel’s wings,” Hyunjae hummed, as if what he had done was nowhere near peculiar.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You have to stop doing that,” the demon king chided, poking his finger on the boy’s forehead to push him away lightly. “And what did I tell you about approaching strangers? The angel might look harmless, but legend says that they eat little children, you know.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The young demon dared to jut his tongue out teasingly, blowing raspberries towards him. “Angels are kind, Loey! They would never do that.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey rolled his eyes, opting to ignore the boy’s snarky retort as he grabbed the feather out of the little demon’s grip. “How did you even pluck this? Did you sneak into the dungeon?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Hyunjae shook his head, whining as he tried to retrieve the stolen feather. “Kyungsoo got him out last night. He’s having breakfast with the angel right now.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>With that, the demon king’s head had shot right back up from the comfort of his pillow, his eyes bulging with alarm. “He did <i>what</i>?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The little demon nodded, seemingly oblivious of Loey’s growing anger. “The angel doesn’t eat human organs, so Kyungsoo gave him veggies to eat instead.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king no longer felt groggy as he bolted out of his chamber, holding onto the squealing child with one arm easily. Loey stomped towards the dark hallway leading towards the dining chamber, yelling out for his supposedly-loyal butler. “Kyungsoo!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It had turned out that the little boy was right after all—Loey had barged into the dining chamber unannounced, startling the other butlers guarding the doorway as the demon king immediately headed towards the table. He saw the angel sitting next to Kyungsoo, the warm smile on the celestial being’s face contrasting greatly with the pained expression he wore when he was kept in Abyss’ dungeon.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Good morning, my lord,” Kyungsoo greeted him—like he normally would. Only this time, the younger demon’s full attention was averted towards the runaway angel.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I didn’t give you my permission to bring him up here.” The demon king scowled, evidently upset to find out that the younger demon did not even have the slightest courtesy to inform him that the restrained angel had been released from the cells of the dungeon.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>From where he stood, Loey saw the way the angel stole a quick glance at him before cowering back, though the smile he wore was still present.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“He was starving, my lord,” Kyungsoo replied. “He could have died if he had stayed there any longer.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“That doesn’t excuse the fact that you did this behind my back.” The demon king raised his voice as he retorted sharply. Loey didn’t miss the way the angel had flinched from the harsh tone of his reprimand as he pointed an accusing finger towards the latter. “This angel could bring great danger to Hades, Kyungsoo. I won’t bear the risk of putting my realm in danger just for the sake of an angel who ran away from Eden.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“The angel is harmless,” Kyungsoo said. “And he’s not from Eden 61.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king glanced at the angel in surprise. “What?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“He’s from Purgatory 11,” Kyungsoo answered almost immediately. “These bruises—they’re caused by the grim reapers of Purgatory. He’s badly injured, my lord. We can’t possibly send him back to Eden in this condition.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“The angel’s wellbeing should be none of our concern,” Loey argued firmly, keeping his doubtful glare stagnant towards the angel. “We’re demons, Kyungsoo. An angel is the last immortal who’s allowed to be here.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Hurt had flickered within the angel’s sullen eyes as he looked at the demon king. The sight of it had made Loey feel a twinge of discomfort in the pit of his guts—he hated it. Loey cleared his throat and turned away abruptly before he spoke once more. “I don’t care where he had come from—we’re sending him back to Eden 61 right away.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey was slightly surprised when he noticed how exasperated Kyungsoo looked as he clenched his fists by his sides, facing the demon king with his head lowered. “He refuses to return to Eden 61, my lord.” The younger demon swallowed. “Please, at the very least, please let him stay here just until he is fully recovered. He could barely speak due to his injuries.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king heaved a conflicted sigh at the younger demon’s persistence. At first, it was the little kid—Hyunjae—whom Kyungsoo had pleaded to take care of, and now it was the runaway angel. For all the years that Loey had known him, Kyungsoo had never shown the slightest bit of interest in anyone—not even Sehun, and the unfortunate grim reaper had been chasing after the younger demon for as long as Loey could remember.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“There’s something you’re not telling me,” Loey stated.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Before he could await the younger demon’s reply, Loey felt a gentle tug on his finger. He glanced downwards to raise his brow at the boy who stared up at him with a pout.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“What do you want, tiny?” the demon king asked in a grumble. “I’m in the middle of something.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Please let the angel stay,” Hyunjae beseeched with pleading eyes, swinging Loey’s finger that was wrapped in the little demon’s small fist. “I like him, Loey. He lets me play with his wings.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I’m not going to keep a stranger under my roof and risk everyone’s safety just because you want to have fun by pulling out the angel’s feathers,” Loey chided with a frown.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It turned out that scolding the little boy didn’t help at all—Hyunjae’s pout only grew even bigger as he went ahead and clung onto one of the demon king’s legs. “Please,” Hyunjae whined. “He’s an angel, so he must be kind!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“The child has a point.” Kyungsoo pointed out of the blue.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Be quiet,” Loey deadpanned, scowling towards his butler. “I’m still mad at you for disobeying me.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“My apologies.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>With an irked roll of his eyes, Loey approached the startled angel, almost stumbling on his feet as the little boy clinging onto his leg had refused to let go. “You,” the demon king said as he leaned over the table. The way the angel’s black strands of hair fell against his forehead made the demon king’s fingers flinch with the urge to brush the locks away.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“His name is Baekhyun.” Kyungsoo provided.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Right. You.” The demon king pointed his index finger towards the angel, almost poking the latter’s nose. “Baekhyun.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel pointed to himself, hesitant. <i>‘Me?’</i>he mouthed.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You can stay,” Loey told him. He felt his breath rasping in his throat as he watched the angel smile again, rosy-tinted lips contrasting the paleness of his sickly face. “But just until you have fully recovered. Got it?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel nodded with great enthusiasm, clasping both Loey’s hands in his as tears gathered in his eyes again.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Don’t touch me,” the demon king huffed, yanking his hands away, to the angel’s evident disappointment. “And don’t get me wrong—you’re not some kind of charity case, alright? I just don’t want any blood in my hands. It’s best for you to return to Eden 61 without looking like you’re on the verge of dying. The archangels are going to think that I caused all of those injuries,” Loey said, clearing his throat. “The fact that I’m a demon would only make things worse.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There was a strange stutter of the demon king’s heart as he watched the angel flashing him a grateful smile, giving him a bashful nod.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Good.” Loey backed away with an aloof hum. “You better get well soon, then.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>—</span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey no longer dreamt.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He was consciously aware of this. There was no sight of little rabbits trailing after his steps, or a glass dome filled with peach roses anymore. It felt strange to be going to sleep, expecting to wake up to a life of brightness, basking in warm sunlight, to be living in a dream so vivid that the thought of gaining consciousness and being welcomed by the break of dawn in Hades 04 felt dreadful to him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>As midnight arrived, he decided not to sleep. He couldn’t. Sleeping, now, only felt like he’s falling into a deep pit of darkness, drowning in pitched black. Loey sighed as he turned in his bed, bringing his hands to his face. In the corner of his eyes, he managed to catch a glimpse of the runaway angel hovering in the night sky, wide wings flapping quietly as he stared at the fabricated moon of Hades 04. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>A frown formed on his face as he watched the angel quietly. It had been almost a week since they had brought the angel into Abyss, and since then, he had done nothing suspicious, but Loey felt like he needed to be on his guard, nonetheless. As the ruler of Hades, the demon king could not afford to let his defenses down despite the fact that Kyungsoo himself had assured him that the runaway angel—<i>Baekhyun</i>—meant no harm. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Perhaps that was one of the reasons why Loey felt the need to strengthen his defenses even more.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>And Kyungsoo… He’d known the younger demon for as long as he could remember, though with the presence of the angel, Loey could see how different Kyungsoo became. He had seen the way Kyungsoo had looked at the angel, how defensive he had gotten when the demon king demanded the angel to be thrown back to Eden, or wherever he had come from. He refused to brood about the fact that Kyungsoo was evidently willing to go against him if only to protect the angel.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>When Baekhyun came along, he had brought his secrets along with him. Loey had seen it from the beginning; the tears that shone in the angel’s eyes as he flailed in the cage when their gazes met, dripping down his sunken cheeks, tracing the long bruise that circled around his neck when he frantically tried to reach out for the demon king—as if Loey had meant something to him despite that very moment being the first time he’d ever seen him. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>As if the angel had sensed the surge of familiarity that arose within the walls of their minds the moment their eyes locked, too. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Even now, as he stared at the angel, Loey could feel the gravitational pull between them, settling heavily in his guts, though it provided him with odd comfort. He briefly wondered if Baekhyun was feeling it, too. The lone angel was still floating about, staring at the moon. As he padded towards the balcony of his chamber, Loey watched the angel’s shoulders heaving gently while he stared at the moon, head tilted west.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There was a sullen falter of Baekhyun’s lively wings when a fog of dusk made its way towards the moon, hindering the angel’s view. With his hands, the angel tried to brush the heavy fogs away, stomping his feet in the air when the concocted sky remained the same. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king could not help releasing an amused snort as he observed him, leaning against the marbled railing of the balcony. “Judging by the way you’re staring at it so intensely, I’m beginning to think the moon doesn’t actually exist in Eden 61.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel visibly flinched, spinning around too quickly that his wings caused a gust of wind to brush past the nearby willow trees. Loey raised a brow as Baekhyun spluttered silently, red rushing up to his previously ashen cheeks. He left his mouth hanging as if to speak, though no words could be formed, struggling to make its way out of the angel’s bruised throat. When his efforts to form a verbal sentence had failed, Baekhyun looked away, clutching onto his neck as he swallowed uncomfortably.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king beckoned him closer with a flicker of a finger. “You really can’t speak, huh?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun shook his head, then paused. He hovered on the other side of the balcony, getting closer just as he was told. The angel seemed so fearless that it had made Loey take a step back unconsciously. With no trace of reluctance in his glistening eyes, he stretched his hand out.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“What—hey!” Loey exclaimed as the angel clasped onto his arm, trailing his slender fingers on the surface of the demon king’s palm as words started to form on his skin.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>‘I can talk. Like this.’</span>
      </span>
    </i>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon grimaced. “That’s going to be a hassle.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>‘It is just temporary.’</span>
      </span>
    </i>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey glanced up for a split second, only to see the angel staring at him with a small smile. Baekhyun took the demon’s other hand, presenting it in front of his face.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>‘Just until I am fully recovered.’</span>
      </span>
    </i>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey observed the words as they disappeared with a final sparkle. “Recovered from what?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel released his hold on Loey’s hand, taking his sunshine warmth along with him as he pointed to the ring of bruise surrounding his neck. Loey could not help but frown at the sight of it; as a demon, an evidence of depicted violence was not such a rare sight to see, although he had to admit that it was a bit strange for an angel, out of all creatures, to have bruises and scars scattered across his wan skin. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I’ve been meaning to ask you about that,” Loey mumbled truthfully. “But only because Kyungsoo was fretting over it. He never frets over anything.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>‘Perhaps he was just being protective,’</span>
      </span>
    </i>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun stated. <i>‘He’s very protective of you as well, no?’</i></span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king shrugged. He never considered Kyungsoo as someone who was protective of him—though the younger demon did know better, always making all of the demon king’s decisions for him whenever there came a conflict.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Whatever,” he said. “So, what’s up with your neck, then? Did one of the demon guards do that to you back in Tartarus City?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The runaway angel shook his head, flashing the demon a small smile as he traced a single word on the demon king’s palm simply. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>‘No.’</span>
      </span>
    </i>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey, despite feeling rather bored of the one-sided verbal conversation with the angel, waited patiently for the latter to continue. Yet all Baekhyun did was look away, holding onto his hand, still.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Ah,” the demon huffed. “I get it. You don’t want to tell me about it.” He pulled his hand away from the angel’s hold, clearing his throat. “You’re living under my roof, you know. The least you could do is to tell me your true intentions of coming down here.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There was something about the way Baekhyun looked at him then, staring at their parted hands with dejection before he tried to reach out for the demon again. For a moment, the demon felt like he was back in those usual dreams he had been having—basking in the angel of his dream’s warmth, their hands clasped together as they lay side by side on dampened grass after a heavy rain. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Ever since they had first met all those days ago, in the back of his mind, Loey knew that he felt the gravitational pull between them for a reason; Baekhyun held too many similarities with the angel that kept on haunting him in his dreams, appearing in his head as soon as he went to sleep, welcoming him into a world of strange familiarity. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He memorized every detail vividly, from the angel’s jet-black hair brushed away by the soft whisper of the wind, to his white wings, to his slender fingers pressing gently against the keys of heaven’s piano—the exact same fingers grasping his hands firmly in the present. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>This time, the angel of his dreams was no longer faceless. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>This time, in the present, the angel was here, with clouded eyes and trembling lips, hovering in the sky before him, tracing words onto his palms due to his inability to speak. Yet Loey clearly remembered his voice, every track of his soft laughter, all those times the demon had heard the angel whisper in his ears while he was asleep, and how it never stopped echoing in his mind even when he had awoken.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey swallowed roughly. “Do angels happen to dream a lot?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun’s eyes widened as he looked at him, as if he would have never expected such questions from the demon king. His mouth curved into a small smile when he gave the demon a quick nod, a spark of excitement glinting in those hazel eyes. As he took Loey’s hand in his, he carefully traced the tip of his finger on the demon’s palm, tongue peeking out of his mouth in concentration.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>‘Though we never sleep, angels dream all the time.’</span>
      </span>
    </i>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey raised his brow as he scoffed, “How is that possible? And why don’t angels sleep?” The demon frowned. “Sleep is important. No wonder you looked so exhausted when I first saw you.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There was the slightest squeak of laughter that managed to escape from the angel’s mouth, and Loey had lifted his gaze just in time to catch a glimpse of Baekhyun’s bright grin. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>His heart began to thump steadily in his chest as he stared at the angel who seemed more fascinated with his palm rather than his own face, beyond focused on writing his reply, erasing a spelling mistake with an embarrassed shake of his head. When the angel was finally done, he lifted the demon’s hand before him, pointing towards the sentence he had written. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>‘We tend to daydream,’</span>
      </span>
    </i>
    <span>
      <span>he stated. <i>‘When angels daydream, it represents a depiction of their respective past.’</i></span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“The past, huh?” Loey hummed. “So what do you usually dream of?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>For the slightest second, Baekhyun seemed like he was hesitating. He ran his hand through his dark locks as he bit his lower lip, the sight of it stealing the demon’s attention from his hands temporarily. Though when Loey’s gaze finally returned to his own palm, he saw the word engraved on the skin of his palm.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>‘You.’</span>
      </span>
    </i>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>HADES 04 — HYUNJAE</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>viii.</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He briefly wondered how long he had been there, standing in front of the huge mirror propped on the wall, next to eerie portraits of creatures that he had never seen before. But it wasn’t those creatures that Hyunjae was fascinated with. He could still hear Kyungsoo calling out for him, his deep voice reverberating across the dark path from his little chamber to the dining chamber nearby.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Hyunjae’s stomach growled with hunger, though his feet wouldn’t let him move, stuck to the marbled floors as he stared at his own reflection, lifting his hand towards his face. Had his eyes always been red? He blinked quickly, marvelling at the sight of his crimson irises glinting under the hallway lights. Hyunjae’s lips broadened into a grin at the new revelation of his facial features, only to stagger back when he noticed the two fangs protruding out of his mouth.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I’m a vampire!” the boy exclaimed, feeling somewhere in between fear and excitement. Kyungsoo had told him something about the recruits of Hades 04 eventually manifesting into a demon, but truthfully, he didn’t expect it would happen so quickly. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He could no longer remember how long it had been since the grouchy grim reaper brought him to the netherworld and introduced him to the demon king. He was almost convinced that the concept of time had disappeared the moment he had left Earth.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Out of plain curiosity, Hyunjae brought his thumb to touch one of his fangs, jolting with a loud cry when the sharp tip pricked his skin. Blood formed into a small red orb on the surface of his thumb, making him whimper at the sight of it. This was certainly something he had to get used to, for fear that his recently developed fangs might pierce into his mouth if he was not careful enough. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The small injury caused by the consequences of his own mishap was more than enough for him to snap out of his stupor of bewilderment towards his demonic manifestation. He ran off towards the dining chamber, yelling out for Kyungsoo to complain about his fresh scar and if he had the time, he’d most probably brag about his new set of fangs, too. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Kyungsoo! Look, I have red eyes!” Hyunjae shouted with all of his small might, the intensity of his voice booming across the entire dining chamber. It was humorous how someone small like him could startle the two demon butlers standing guard by the entrance of the enormous room. “And sharp teeth too! I’m a vampire!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He stood in front of the dining table with his hands gripping onto his sides, head held high as he wore a boastful grin. Only then, he had realized that the pretty angel was there with them too, looking at him as the angel chewed on a small piece of carrot. A choked noise left Hyunjae’s mouth before he could restrain himself as his ears grew hot with embarrassment once he saw the way the angel laughed at him silently. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Those are called fangs,” Kyungsoo deadpanned. “And you’re not a vampire. You’re a demon.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>At the older demon’s unamused tone, Hyunjae grumbled under his breath. “I know that, but vampires just sound cooler…”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“No, they don’t.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The boy felt a sudden urge to roll his eyes to display the prickle of annoyance developing in his mind. Kyungsoo was never excited for anything—his expression was constantly glum and blank, though Hyunjae <i>did see</i>an unusual smile etched on the older demon’s face when he was talking to the pretty angel. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Even now, as Kyungsoo’s attention returned to the angel, Hyunjae could almost sense how there was absolutely no trace of irritation hanging from the demon’s signature stiffened shoulders.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Hyunjae observed the pair of transcendent beings quietly, watching as the older demon scooped out a greenish substance from the small container that he was holding carefully in his hand, rubbing the balm-like liquid on the angel’s neck, pressing onto the bruises gently. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel looked up from where he was sitting, smiling up to Kyungsoo with a soft hum as he tried to offer the half-bitten piece of carrot towards the demon who chuckled in return.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The younger demon blinked. There was only one explanation as to why Kyungsoo behaved differently when he was in the presence of the pretty angel. Hyunjae was sure of it.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Are you and Baekhyun in love?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Frankly, in his honest opinion, it was a reasonable question. Though the two adults would definitely beg to differ, judging by the way the angel began to choke on his half-eaten carrot, thumping onto his chest with a curled fist as he coughed out of shock. Kyungsoo frowned in concern, only for half a second before he handed a glass of water towards the angel, glaring at the younger demon as he did so.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“No,” he answered indifferently. “What made you think of such thoughts?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Hyunjae felt a pang of guilt jabbing his gut when Baekhyun’s coughs failed to dissipate. The angel seemed as if he was pained albeit the sweet smile he wore, touching his bruised throat to massage it gently. The little demon approached Baekhyun slowly, standing on the tip of his toes as he tried his best to reach the angel’s hand resting on the dining table. “I-I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to—”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun shook his head as his shoulders trembled, almost confusing Hyunjae beyond belief when the angel started laughing instead. He leaned in to poke the swell of Hyunjae’s plump cheek before he used his finger to write mid-air, ending his sentence with a theatrical exclamation point and a massive smile.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>‘It’s okay!’</span>
      </span>
    </i>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“The injury on Baekhyun’s neck is still in the midst of recovering,” Kyungsoo interjected as he placed his hand on the angel’s shoulder to pull him back to the demon’s side. “Be careful when you’re talking to him, Hyunjae. Don’t joke around like that.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Hyunjae huffed, preparing a cheeky retort towards the older demon before he stopped himself and resorted to pouting with exaggeration, instead. “Well, I said I was sorry… I didn’t do it on purpose!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There came a grunt of irritation along with loud thuds of synchronized footsteps closing the distance between the hallway and the dining chamber before Hyunjae spotted the demon king treading in. “Why are you making the brat whine, first thing in the morning?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I didn’t whine!” Hyunjae groused, craning his neck up to point an accusing finger towards the tallest demon in the room.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I didn’t whine,” Loey imitated teasingly, poking his tongue out as he snatched a small plum from the basket placed on the table. He took a large bite of the fruit with a crunch before squishing the bitten part onto Hyunjae’s cheek, its red juices trailing down to his shirt, earning a startled yell from the boy. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Stop that!” Hyunjae truly whined this time, trying to slap the demon king’s prying hands away. “What kind of demon bullies a little kid!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You’re not a little kid,” the demon king argued as he stuck the plum into one of Hyunjae’s fangs, chuckling as he watched the fruit clinging onto the sharp tooth. “Look how strong your fangs are. That’s a demon’s strength right there.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>At that point, Hyunjae was completely certain that if Loey kept on ridiculing him, he would have truly smacked the sarcastic demon’s head. It didn’t matter how tall the king was. Hyunjae would have found a way to do it. Perhaps, he could have climbed onto one of the dining table’s chairs to reach the top of the demon’s head. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Before he could take one step closer towards a nearby chair, Hyunjae spun around once he heard a gentle rumble of the angel’s laughter resonating in the entire room, surprising all four of them at once. There was no other way to describe the sound of it; Baekhyun’s laughter was ethereal. Albeit soft, close to being silent, Hyunjae had heard it—how soothing it was. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He gasped once his state of awe had passed, red plum dropping out of his mouth. “You laughed! Out loud, this time!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Glad to know your voice is slowly returning,” Loey said, clearing his throat as he looked away. “Won’t have to communicate with you by reading your handwriting on my hand like some kind of essay anymore.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Hyunjae watched as Baekhyun nodded with a smile, his gaze never leaving the demon king’s direction.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You two talked?” Kyungsoo asked, his head snapping towards the demon king. He sounded like he was slightly surprised before he regained his collected demeanor. “Starting to get along, I see.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey shrugged. “Not really. I’m still keeping my eyes on him.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Kyungsoo began to scowl. “He’s—”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Harmless, I know,” the demon king said, leaning over to pinch the younger demon’s nose, who stepped back with a low grunt. “I think it’s cute how protective you are of him,” he chuckled. “Although I don’t really understand it.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Hyunjae was rather puzzled as he kept his eyes on the angel, who fell silent as he continued staring at the two demon’s close interaction. Baekhyun’s lingering gaze finally faltered when Loey stepped closer towards the other demon, ruffling his pushed-back locks with a teasing grin.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“What’s this?” Loey asked as he yanked the small container out of Kyungsoo’s hand, inspecting the olive-green substance with furrowed brows.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Eden 61’s herbal salve,” the other demon replied. “It’s for Baekhyun’s injuries. Since angels could only heal properly with medication made by archangels, I told Sehun to get some if he had the chance.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king whistled as he glanced at the flustered angel who flashed him a hesitant simper. “You’re really going all-out with this save-the-unknown-angel operation, huh?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“He needs to heal,” Kyungsoo deadpanned blankly.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Yeah, yeah.” Loey waved the other demon off plainly before he tossed the container on the startled angel’s lap, the corner of his lips curling into a playful smirk. “Get well soon, trespasser,” he said. “So that we can send you back to Purgatory 11 even quicker.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel’s signature smile fell with visible disappointment as his shoulders sank, lowering his head to direct his gaze elsewhere. Just as Hyunjae was about to yell at Loey for causing the loss of Baekhyun’s smile, the demon king spoke once more.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“That was a joke. I’m joking.” The demon king snorted. “Don’t you people joke around back in Eden?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun shook his head stiffly, but his smile had returned. He seemed relieved.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Must’ve been a boring life.” Loey yawned before Hyunjae watched him walk away. “I’m heading to Tartarus City. Get four guards to accompany me, Kyungsoo.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Very well, my lord.” </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>At the mention of Tartarus City, Hyunjae began to think of the sweet delicacy that he had gobbled up while he was exploring the city with the demon king. The mere thought of the human lung candies slathered with raspberry glaze was enough for him to intrude on the adults’ conversation, jumping on his feet with excitement as his mouth watered with greed.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Can I come?” he asked with a pout. “I want to eat those candies again. And I haven’t even had breakfast yet!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Fine,” Loey groaned, throwing his head back. “Go and get ready. I’ll leave if you take any longer than five minutes.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Take Baekhyun with you,” Kyungsoo added.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king frowned. “What?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“He has been cooped up here for a week now. It’ll be good for him to walk around the city for a change,” the demon king’s butler said. “You can even brag about Hades 04 looking better than Eden 61 despite it being a literal Hell.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Yeah, yeah!” Hyunjae piped up with a grin as he pulled onto the angel’s hand. “Come with us, Baekhyun! It’ll be fun, I promise!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun glanced between Hyunjae and the demon king, contemplating with confliction written all over his features. He scratched the back of his head as he stood timidly, directing his coy gaze to the floor as both the angel and the youngest demon waited for Loey’s decision.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>With a firm hum, the demon king nodded without turning to face them. “Five minutes,” he repeated. “You can walk by yourself if you’re any later than that. You too, angel.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>TARTARUS CITY, HADES 04 — LOEY</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>ix.</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>With the back of his hand, the demon king stifled his amused snicker as he watched the tiny demon waddling in front of him. Hyunjae was occasionally stumbling on sidewalk stones as he stared up at one of the demon king’s guards who was escorting them, and despite the constant tugging of his pant leg, the guard remained impassive, patiently answering the kid’s questions every time they came across Hades’ immortals that seemed foreign to him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>But the celestial being trailing behind him was far from feeling captivated at the sight of the citizens of Hades 04, sauntering with his head hanging low as his majestic wings drooped from his back. Loey had noticed a few peculiar stares directed towards them as they walked, half of which was most probably just because it’s <i>him </i>they were marveling at, albeit there were still sharp glares lingering on his back as the demon king passed by. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He knew it would not take more than a second for the Tartarean beings to recognize the angelic immortal walking closely behind him, white flowy robes and broad wings standing out from the masses of scarlet. Loey sighed as the angel’s evident discomfort became even more unbearable as the minutes went by.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun stumbled forward with a yelp when the demon king held onto his wrist, pulling him closer to his side. He glanced at the flustered angel, feigning irritation.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Walk beside me if you don’t want to get kidnapped by some random goblin,” he said calmly. “Kyungsoo would get mad if you’re injured again. I don’t want to take the blame if you disappear.” </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun visibly gulped, nodding with newfound panic. Loey noticed how the angel’s mouth hung open as if to speak, though he kept hesitating. The demon slowed his pace down and splayed his palm out, waiting patiently as the angel scribbled on his hand in a rush.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>‘Thank you.’</span>
      </span>
    </i>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The two words evanesced in the air once Loey turned to look at the angel standing beside him, catching the warm smile he had flashed as he bore a set of dimples on each cheek, the skin of his hazel eyes crinkling with each stretch of his mouth that Loey somehow couldn’t stop himself from staring at. The demon king looked away quickly, grunting as an acknowledgement of Baekhyun’s reply.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Baekhyun!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king snapped out of his sudden enthrallment to see Hyunjae holding up two sticks of his favorite candies, his wide grinning mouth stained red with bloody syrup. “Try this! It’s a human’s lung, but it tastes like candy!” </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey chuckled with a shake of his head as the angel looked at the tiny demon with absolute terror striking his face, seemingly horrified at the sight of the boy gobbling up actual human lungs as a sweetened snack. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“He’s not going to like it, Hyunjae,” the older demon said.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun turned slowly to face the demon king. “Human?” he mouthed as his wan skin turned even paler.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey simply shrugged as a reply. “Kids love sweet stuff, don’t they? This one just happens to like the ones made from human flesh.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You wouldn’t know how good it tastes until you try it!” Hyunjae exclaimed with pure excitement, his voice slightly muffled by his own chewing. With a free hand, he took another stick of the sticky-sweet delicacy, practically shoving it towards the flabbergasted angel’s face. “Try it, try it.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Stop pressuring him, you little brat,” the demon king growled.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun stared at the small piece of candy, tilting his head. He seemed as if he was actually considering to take a bite of it, which frankly, scared Loey a little—he was no longer sure if Eden 61 would ever consider taking the runaway angel back if they ever found out that he had eaten candied lungs while he was in the netherworld.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel picked at the snack for a brief moment before he took a piece of it from the stick, inspecting it with bright eyes filled with curiosity. Out of shock, Loey stepped closer, his grip on the angel’s wrist tightening in order to stop the angel from possibly making a big mistake.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Are you sure you wanna taste that?” Loey asked, grimacing. “That’s not some kind of ordinary candy, you know.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king could’ve sworn that he saw the flame of fierce determination blazed in Baekhyun’s eyes as the angel nodded confidently.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Fine.” Loey relented. “Suit yourself. Don’t start complaining if it tastes bad.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king observed Baekhyun silently as he took a bite of the candy, preparing himself to take a stagger back just in case the angel would spew the bits of candied lungs all over the ground. Loey shuddered with exaggeration. What made the silly angel think he would enjoy the candy when the demon king himself was repulsed by it?</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>To the demon’s surprise, Baekhyun let out a pleased hum as he chewed, pretty face scrunching up with bliss, savoring each hit of sweetness upon his tongue. The angel took no time to reach out for another piece of candy, popping into his mouth with ease before he licked the leftover syrup slathered on his fingers.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“…You’re unbelievable,” he managed to say, jaw hanging at the sight of an <i>angel </i>mercilessly lap up the sugary delight of candied human flesh. “Are you sure you’re an angel?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel had the absolute audacity to blink innocently at him as he chewed, before he erupted into a fit of laughter when he saw the appalled look on the demon king’s face. With sticky fingers, he wrote in the air carelessly.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>‘Sick of vegetables.’</span>
      </span>
    </i>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I’m not even going to be surprised if you show up with devilish horns on your head tomorrow,” Loey teased, poking the angel’s head.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun grinned up at him with glee, and the demon couldn’t help but stare at the angel’s syrup-coated lips as he smiled coyly. Before he could realize what he was doing, Loey reached his thumb out to wipe the smear of syrupy remains on Baekhyun’s mouth, chuckling lightly.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You eat like a kid.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel’s smile fell as his eyes widened. Loey retracted his hand as if the touch of Baekhyun’s skin had burned his skin, stepping away as he feigned a distracting cough. “Just—eat properly, alright? It’s irritating.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun’s gaze softened as he nodded, covering his mouth with the back of his hand before he walked ahead. He didn’t even realize that he was no longer holding onto the angel’s wrist, only consciously feeling the loss of it once he saw the angel strolling by Hyunjae’s side, sharing another piece of candy.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king thumped on his chest twice with a clenched fist, forcing his thundering heartbeat to slow down before he continued walking.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>—</span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>As time passed by, the demon king had eventually warmed up to the idea of keeping a celestial being under his roof, though he rarely saw the angel during the day—having spent his time reading in his chamber or training his dragons in the dungeon—he would anticipate Baekhyun’s presence on his balcony each night, accompanied by the beaming moonlight and the angel’s soft hums.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>One thing that Loey had noticed was, once Baekhyun started staring at the moon, it would be difficult to get him to look away. It didn’t matter if the demon king was speaking, or if he had asked the angel a serious question—the moment Baekhyun had his eyes on the moon, it was almost as if all of his thoughts were drifting away. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king was not completely bothered by it at first, spending most of his sleepless nights basking in the comfortable silence with the angel who couldn’t speak at the time. But as Baekhyun’s injury gradually healed, the bruises and scars on his skin began to fade, and Loey had even heard him talking to Kyungsoo when he had walked past the indoor garden. He noticed that the angel was able to speak a few words at a time, controlling the tone of his voice with vigilance. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Now, as Loey sat next to the angel on the marbled railing of his balcony, he couldn’t help but feel a hint of vexation prickling at his skin, irked by the angel’s silence. A small part of him had thought Baekhyun would have been more excited to regain his voice after weeks of communicating through his handwriting, but there he was, staring at the moon again, oblivious of the tension bubbling in the ambience.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Just as the annoyance started to simmer in the pit of Loey’s gut, the demon king glanced at the mute angel before he flicked his finger slightly, directing a stratus cloud towards the moonlight to hinder its view. He could hear the angel’s abrupt sigh once the moon no longer shone directly at them. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Still, Baekhyun didn’t say a single word.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I know you can talk normally now,” Loey said, breaking the silence. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Aren’t you excited to be able to talk again?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun glanced at him with surprise before he turned to stare at his lap. Somehow, the loss of the moonlight had dimmed the angel’s bright smile, too.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I…” the angel began, his voice croaking slightly. “I don’t know what to talk about,” he said. “Usually, it’s you who starts the conversation first, but now, you’ve been quiet, so I-I was worried that I might’ve done something—”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Alright, I get it,” Loey cut him off with a snort, slightly surprised to hear the angel speaking so quickly, each word escaping his mouth in a rush. “Settle down. Or else you’d end up losing your voice again.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Sorry,” the angel chuckled softly.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Tell me all about Eden 61, then,” the demon replied. “Why don’t you want to go back there?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun shifted uncomfortably at the sudden question, his hands fidgeting on the hems of his silk robes.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I’m not going to demand a myriad of demons to go and attack your home,” Loey joked lightly. “I’m just curious as to why you seemed so adamant on not wanting to return there.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Eden 61 is not my home,” the angel said, swallowing the lump in his throat. “It has never been. I’ve spent more than half of my lifetime restrained in Purgatory 11 rather than living in Eden.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There was a touch of venom laced within the angel’s voice as he spoke grimly, trembling fingers grasping onto the flounce of his robes before he turned to look at the demon, eyes clouded with sorrow. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I… I would never want to go back there.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>At the mention of the celestial realm, Baekhyun seemed genuinely distressed. Loey had never seen someone looking so miserable just by talking about the supposed finest place to live in the afterlife. Guilt tugged on his conscience as he stared at the angel, unsure of how to express his remorse for bringing up a topic that the angel was evidently not fond of talking about.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Sorry,” the demon king muttered. “I didn’t know you hated it that much.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun laughed gently, shaking his head. “I like this place better,” he mumbled. “Everyone is nice here.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey let out a loud snicker. “Nice?” He wheezed. “We’re demons, Baekhyun. The creatures here are practically the spawn of absolute evil.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I know.” The angel remained silent for a mere moment before frowning when his lingering gaze focused on the demon king’s features. “What’s that?” Baekhyun asked, pointing at the fresh wound on his brow.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey stammered with realization as he covered the small injury with his hand, cursing under his breath. He had almost forgotten about the mishap he had faced with one of his dragons while he was training them. Blood rushed to the tip of his ears as they grew red under the angel’s scrutinizing stare. “Nothing,” he muttered quickly. “Just a little gash I got earlier today.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It was absurd, how he flinched when the angel scooted closer towards him to inspect the wound, unaware of the demon king’s tense state. Loey held in a sharp breath as he blinked with panic, drawing back just as Baekhyun leaned in. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel pressed his finger on the bumpy wound, wincing with a grimace. “That looks like it hurts.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It’s nothing,” Loey assured, internally begging for the angel to back away just so that he would be able to grab the chance to breathe once more. “Stop staring at me like I’m going to die.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Don’t joke like that,” the angel chided. “Do you want me to try and heal it for you?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“What—you can do that?” the demon asked incredulously. “You mean you could’ve just cured your own injuries?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“No… Angels aren’t able to heal their own wounds, but I think I can—” Baekhyun swallowed nervously. The distance between them kept getting shorter, and the demon king found himself frozen in his spot. “I can try to heal yours.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“How are you going to do that?” </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>How would an <i>angel </i>heal a diabolical Hadean’s wound? Loey had never met a celestial being from Eden so up close before—he didn’t know how they behaved around each other, but he was fairly certain that angels knew nothing about boundaries if all of them behave similarly to the particular angel sitting in front of him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king could have just scooted over a little further, or perhaps he could have allowed his palms to spark with minimal inferno just to scare the angel away if he got too close, and he did. Close enough for Loey to see the way his eyes drooped as he leaned in, thin hands cradling the demon’s face gently. “Stay still,” Baekhyun whispered. There was no speck of fear hinted in his quiet voice despite the fact that he was there, holding an infernal king’s jaw in the warmth of his palms.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel’s fingers brushed against the reddened gash lightly, the gentle touch against his skin making the demon flutter his eyes closed as he stiffened with a swift heartbeat under his chest. There was a soft press of the angel’s lips on the wounded skin of his brow before he jolted, broad shoulders flinching. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Within the fraction of a second that Loey had accidentally let his guard down in surprise, the demon released his own very wings that he had initially concealed from the realm’s eye, the thick raven feathers fluttering frantically, almost lifting him off the marbled surface of the railing as he pulled away from the angel’s grasp.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You have wings,” Baekhyun gasped softly, so enthralled at the sight of the coal black wings to notice that he still had his hands resting on the demon king’s shoulders.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You kissed me,” the demon deadpanned instead of acknowledging the comment.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It wasn’t a kiss,” Baekhyun mumbled. “I was just trying to heal you. Look, the wound is gone now.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>Ah, so that wasn’t considered a kiss. </span>
      </span>
    </i>
    <span>
      <span>The demon tried to ignore the perplexing disappointment building up in the pit of his stomach as the angel slid away, providing him with a safe distance that he had wanted earlier on.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Yes, it was,” the demon grunted, slapping his hand on his forehead to feel for his most recent wound, frowning when he realized that it was no longer there.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It wasn’t,” the angel denied once more. “Really, that is how angels heal humans and other immortals.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Whatever,” Loey muttered. He could practically <i>feel </i>the heat travelling up to his neck. And he hated it. “I didn’t ask you to do it.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I suppose that’s true.” Baekhyun rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, smiling. “I’m sorry. Seeing you with an injury just… did not sit right with me.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“What, you think demons don’t get hurt from time to time?” The demon king raised a challenging brow, crossing his arms against his chest. Both of his wings hitched up in defense, bold and heavy against his back to intimidate. “Think I’m weak?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Still, the angel laughed gently as he shook his head, unafraid. “No… I just don’t like seeing you get hurt.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Strange—sometimes, if not most of the time that he had spent with the angel, Baekhyun had the propensity to say strange things. Loey’s heart skipped a beat despite the peculiarity of the angel’s sudden reply.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“That—it’s none of your business, whether I get hurt or not.” He let out a scoff of feigned irritation as he looked away from the angel’s toothy smile. Too bright. Even brighter than the light of the moon that the angel had grown to love so much. “Worry about yourself.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Myself?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun’s head flopped to the side as his brows furrowed in confusion. <i>God, </i>the angel was strangely cute—so adorable that the demon didn’t even realize the absolute irony of him inwardly calling for a god just to comprehend how charming an angel could be. God <i>must </i>have a reason for this, didn’t he? For he was the one who had created a descendant of Eden with such soft features; bright but droopy eyes, rosy-tinted cheeks and a familiar smile. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The thought of it made the demon king wonder if the other angels of Eden 61 had the same sense of enthrallment within a single smile, capable of holding him spellbound right from the first gaze.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>Get a hold of yourself,</span>
      </span>
    </i>
    <span>
      <span>he thought, gritting his teeth. He willed himself to appear impassive to the angel’s puzzled expression as he replied.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You have tons of other bruises that need healing and you can only depend on an archangel’s medicine since you’re too stubborn to go back to—” Loey paused abruptly. He had to stop himself before he could see the angel’s smile faltering into a frown yet again. It didn’t feel right to him the first time he saw it. “What I’m trying to say is, you don’t have to worry about me and the injuries I might get. You’re not… my servant or something.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You’re right.” Baekhyun pursed his lips and nodded. “I’m sorry. I was being impulsive.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“No,” was Loey’s quick reply, as if it was his reflex towards the angel’s apology. “It’s okay.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <b>ABYSS, HADES 04 — SEHUN</b>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>x.</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Of course,he had other things to do.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>As a matter of fact, the grim reaper’s daily schedule was completely full. He had four pending souls to be delivered to Eden—an event like this should have been on the bottom of his priority list. And yet, there he was, blowing air into the human heart-shaped balloon until his cheeks began to puff up before tying it diligently and handing it towards the demon who acknowledged every inch of his effort with a single appreciative nod. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Soon, he fell into a rhythmic routine of blowing and tying balloons as he silently wondered what the other grim reapers would have thought of him if they ever saw him like this.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>But what else could he have done? This was the first time Kyungsoo had ever asked for his favor, and who was Sehun to deny the diligent demon from such request, no matter how silly it might have been? The grim reaper has been waiting for ten whole centuries for this moment—to be sitting so close to the demon, just the two of them sitting side by side without the demon scooting away, feeling their shoulders brush occasionally when Kyungsoo shifted slightly to grab onto another piece of balloon, blowing into it with a stoic face. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>This wasn’t necessarily the dream scenario he had in mind, but Sehun figured that this was not too bad at all, because it was the first time in centuries that he had seen Kyungsoo like this. The demon had the smallest quirk tugged in the corner of his mouth as he tied the E-shaped balloon. He could barely see it, but it was there—the demon was practically smiling as he prepared the necessities for the upcoming surprise party that Hyunjae had cleverly suggested as soon as Kyungsoo had informed him that it was the eve of the demon king’s birthday.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The birth of Loey had been one of the most anticipated celebrations of Hades 04 for centuries now, that much he knew. It was the time of the year where the Hadean beings got out of their houses to gather in a festive parade as a homage to the demon king, but since Loey himself wasn’t very fond of the jovial day, hence the Hadean servants of Abyss had never bothered to celebrate it. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Now, due to Hyunjae’s pleads, and Kyungsoo’s inevitability to comply with whatever the boy would request—no matter how silly it could be—Sehun watched as the demon king’s servants rushed about, pacing back and forth to prepare for a small celebration of their king’s birthday, while the little demon sat on a personalized high chair that Kyungsoo had prepared for him earlier on, chubby legs swinging back and forth with excitement as he munched on yet another piece of human lung candy. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I think you’re spoiling the boy too much,” the grim reaper quipped teasingly. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“This has nothing to do with him,” the demon retorted. “It was a reasonable request.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Yeah?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Kyungsoo nodded, tying the ends of the balloons together. “It’s been a long time since they had celebrated something together,” he said, a little softer this time, before he stole a quick glimpse at the oblivious boy. “As a family.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Sehun’s smug demeanor that he wore had softened into something less cynical, and a little more emphatic as he stared at the demon sitting beside him. He tried to refrain himself from coming up with an argument regarding the aforementioned family. There was no point in voicing out his opinion in that particular matter—the grim reaper where he stood. He could tell that the celebration was extremely important to Kyungsoo. More so than anyone else.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You’re right,” he replied softly. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“This will be the last time,” Kyungsoo mumbled along the loud crackle of flames coming from the fireplace. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The grim reaper barely heard the demon’s voice if it had not been for their close proximity that had raised havoc in his mind. A beat passed, and Sehun had his heart stuck to his throat as he watched the demon hesitate before releasing his hold on one of the balloons. It was only a light touch of Kyungsoo’s hand against the grim reaper’s knuckles that had his mouth stretching into a grin, silently encouraging the demon’s advances with a nod.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“This will be the last time that I’ll put Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s happiness before mine,” the demon said. “No more, after this.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>Chanyeol.</span>
      </span>
    </i>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It had been well over ten centuries since Sehun had last heard Kyungsoo addressing the demon king with that name. Ever since Kyungsoo started blaming himself for what had happened in the past, he had avoided himself—or anyone else—from mentioning any matter that revolved around Chanyeol, as if the name was almost forbidden.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He just needed a little push.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I’m glad.” Sehun smiled. “A thousand years was more than enough for you to redeem yourself.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>With a surge of momentary courage, he maneuvered his hand over the demon’s icy cold palm before the two immortals’ fingers intertwined with ease. Sehun couldn’t help but let out a comforted sigh. “Our hands fit perfectly.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Kyungsoo hummed knowingly. “I suppose they do.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There was a momentary silence filling up the entire room before the grim reaper heard Hyunjae speaking up. “Why are you two holding hands?” the boy asked, swinging his legs delightfully, still.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>To Sehun’s disappointment, Kyungsoo was the first to pull away from his hold, sitting up straight as he cleared his throat. “Do you want more candies, Hyunjae?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Immediately, the little demon perked up as he beamed with a nod—innocent questions of a curious mind had been long forgotten once Kyungsoo handed him another piece of candy. Sehun leaned against his chair with another sigh, fidgeting with discomfort as his hand turned limp at the loss of the demon’s gentle touch. But this was enough; getting to grasp onto Kyungsoo’s hand, even for a short moment, had been more than enough to get the grim reaper grinning like an idiot.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>When Kyungsoo had returned to his seat to continue tying up the ends of the balloons, the grim reaper noticed that the demon had scooted a little closer to him, leaning against him as they worked in silence.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>Yeah, </span>
      </span>
    </i>
    <span>
      <span>Sehun thought. <i>This is more than enough. </i></span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>ABYSS, HADES 04 — LOEY</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>xi.</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>When the demon king walked into the dining chamber, he immediately gawked at the vast array of massive cakes placed on the table—most of which had already been half eaten. With narrowed eyes, Loey turned to the boy propped on the high-chair, who popped an icing-covered finger in his mouth, grinning sheepishly. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Happy advanced birthday!” Hyunjae exclaimed with pure excitement, ignorant to the demon king’s obvious discomfort. “Do you like it?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king tried not to grimace as his eyes wandered all around the recently decorated dining chamber. Contrary to Loey’s usually preferred posh design, the chamber was now filled with streamers of all colors stuck on every corner of the walls and alphabetical-shaped balloons that spelled out the demon king’s name, hanging from the ceiling.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It… looks like a birthday party for a five-year-old,” Loey commented honestly. It wasn’t exactly a lie—even <i>Kyungsoo</i>was sporting a birthday hat that seemed a little too small for his head. The demon king wouldn’t even be surprised if it had turned out that Hyunjae had glued the hat on top of Kyungsoo’s head. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It was Hyunjae’s idea,” Kyungsoo told him. “Be nice.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey groaned loudly. “I just don’t think this is necessary,” he said, as kindly as he could. “You know how much I hate celebrating my own birthday, Kyungsoo.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It was Baekhyun’s idea too,” the grim reaper piped up from the corner of the room, giving him a wave as he smirked. “Now, will you be nice?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>At the mention of the angel’s name, Loey spun around just as he felt a light tap on the pad of his shoulder. Baekhyun smiled widely as he blew a fistful of confetti into the air, laughing at his own antics. “Happy demon day,” the angel wished as he grinned. “It wasn’t my idea, but I did help with the cakes.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It was rather inevitable for a smile to appear on the demon king’s face too as he faced the angel, snickering in amusement when he saw the words <i>LO </i>and <i>EY </i>written clumsily on both of Baekhyun’s flushing red cheeks. “What’s that on your face?” the demon asked teasingly.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel rubbed his face with a pout, glancing elsewhere as his cheeks grew even redder. “Hyunjae drew it on me,” Baekhyun grumbled softly. “Now it won’t come off…”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It’s funny,” Loey remarked carelessly, well aware that he had lied. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It wasn’t funny, it was strange—the sight of the oblivious angel staring back at him with the demon king’s own name jotted down on his blushing face had made Loey feel strange and jittery. In a way, it had made the demon king feel a sense of pride, too.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Reluctantly, Loey reached his hand out to cradle one side of Baekhyun’s face gently, chuckling as he traced his thumb on the written letter. “It’s almost like you’re my birthday gift,” the demon king joked. He kept his eyes zeroed on the angel’s face, partly because he had wanted to avoid seeing Kyungsoo’s knowing gaze.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun’s eyes widened slightly, and Loey could practically <i>feel </i>the heat travelling up to the angel’s face. “Almost,” Baekhyun mumbled.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king cleared his throat only a few moments after he realized what he had said before. He pulled his hand away as if his hold on Baekhyun’s face had burned the angel’s skin, shoving both his hands into the deep of his pockets to stop himself from reaching out for the angel again—a stubborn instinctive move that he should really try to eliminate before it could possibly turn into a habit.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I wanna blow the candles!” Hyunjae exclaimed loudly, startling him out of his stupor.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It’s Loey’s birthday, he should be the one blowing the candle.” Sehun interrupted the boy, earning a red-lipped pout from the little demon. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I’m not a toddler, I don’t need to blow stupid candles.” Loey rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms, nodding towards the upset boy. “I didn’t even ask for a birthday party to begin with.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Loey!” Hyunjae yelled, pointing his icing-slathered finger in the demon king’s direction. “You’re being a party pooper at your own party!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Do you want to blow out the candles on my birthday cake, or should I just send you straight to your bedroom?” Loey challenged with a raise of his brow, stifling a snicker as he watched the little demon splutter almost immediately.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Candles,” the boy replied with a whine. “Sorry…”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“There are like… 20 different cakes here.” Sehun had pointed out. “Which one are you going to use to blow out the candles, Hyunjae?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“All of them,” the little demon answered with ease.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>As the grim reaper and the young boy engaged in a silly argument on cakes and candles, Loey’s attention was stuck on the angel who had been sitting quietly, picking at his cake with a fork. The demon king had noticed how Baekhyun’s signature bright smile had dimmed slightly ever since the strange conversation that they had earlier on.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>No matter how much he tried, Loey could never figure out what the angel was thinking most of the time. Perhaps the others still hadn’t noticed, but the demon king did—he’d noticed that sometimes, Baekhyun would seem conflicted and hesitant, as if he had something to say, but couldn’t. And as Loey continued to gaze at the angel, he realized that the same thing was occurring again.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Only this time, Baekhyun had broken out of his reverie rather quickly as he met the demon king’s gaze in a hush. The angel had flashed a smile in Loey’s way once their eyes locked, but that particular smile didn’t reach Baekhyun’s eyes like it usually did. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Instead, the demon king noticed that the angel seemed a little sadder than usual. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>—</span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>From where he was sitting, the demon king watched the silhouettes of his butlers pacing back and forth, frantically chasing after the boy running around in the dining chamber. Hyunjae had created a chaos racket after his sugar rush from eating cakes finally kicked in, and despite Baekhyun’s warning prior to him indulging in the creamy sweetness, the boy had gobbled up two more pieces of sponge cake, which eventually resulted in him trying to climb onto the lofty walls as his small wings flapped about. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey couldn’t help but let out a snort. They didn’t even notice that the demon king was no longer in the room with them—so much for a birthday celebration—as they were sidetracked by a hyperactive child on sugar high. He should probably <i>thank </i>the kid for distracting them, or else they would have smothered him with more coos of gratitude. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It was almost midnight, and as he stood there, in the outdoor garden, he noticed that none of his usual servants were working anymore—some of them might even be in the dining chamber, still, participating in the demon king’s birthday celebration despite the loss of his presence. Loey sighed as he plopped down on the grass, leaning back on his palms. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There was a faint clamor of acclamation coming all the way from Tartarus City. The annual parade was still ongoing, and soon, when midnight had approached, there would be countless blasts of fireworks setting off, shooting up into the once-tranquil night sky. Loey wasn’t sure of how the citizens of Hades 04 would have reacted if they ever knew that their ruler didn’t appreciate their yearly celebration at all. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The patter of bare feet stepping on the grass made him avert his eyes from the sky towards the source of the sound, and Loey was greeted with a familiar sultry smile. Soojung gave him a quick wave as she strutted towards him in a dark violet bodycon dress that he had never seen before. “Running away after creating a commotion in that dining room, huh?” </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king chuckled dryly. “You’ve known me for a long time, Soojung. Do you think I’d plan for a mess like that to happen?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The succubus shrugged as her cherry-tinted lips curved into a small smirk. “I haven’t seen you in a while. Can’t say I’m not surprised that you haven’t called me up to your chamber yet, since that last night we spent.” Soojung joked lightly, though Loey could hear the hint of disappointment dripping from her mouth as she spoke.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I’ve been a little preoccupied with something,” Loey said. It wasn’t necessarily a lie—the demon king was slightly infamous for his promiscuity back then, and Soojung had always been his particular favorite nightly company, but ever since the grim reaper had brought Hyunjae into Abyss, the demon king found himself spending more time with the boy.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Now, with the presence of Eden 61’s estranged angel on Loey’s territorial ground, spending most of his time hovering over the demon king’s balcony at night, wearing that stupid bright smile of his, Loey was even more distracted than before. He had failed to realize that both Hyunjae and Baekhyun had consequently changed a part of his life that Loey had once considered a norm.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It’s that kid, isn’t it?” Soojung asked.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He gave her a reluctant nod. “And the angel.” He added. There was a rustling of dried leaves brushed away by the cold breeze of the wind as Soojung took a seat beside him, bringing her knees to her chest, staring at him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“The angel?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Baekhyun,” he clarified. “He was brought in here when I found him trying to break into Tartarus City. And ever since then, Kyungsoo has taken quite a liking to him, so I can’t really drive him out of Hades for now.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“That’s a familiar name,” the succubus mumbled. “Has Kyungsoo shown any signs of… attraction towards the angel?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It was beyond strange to even speculate about such things. Kyungsoo had barely ever flashed a mere smile towards someone, he highly doubted that the demon would ever be attracted to an angel, out of all creatures. Still, the thought of it made Loey shudder with odd discomfort. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I don’t know. I’m beginning to think there’s more to this than I thought,” he said truthfully. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>If watching Baekhyun warm up quickly whenever he was with Kyungsoo wasn’t enough to strike a wave of frustration within him, then seeing the angel get along so well—too well with Sehun had made the demon king’s guts churn with indignation. He wasn’t able to understand why the two beings were so fond and protective of the angel who had stumbled upon their lives with dubious bruises and scars all over his body.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You seem really bothered by this,” Soojung said softly as she cupped his face in her hand. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about. If the thought of that angel being goody-goody with your beloved Kyungsoo bothers you so much, then send the angel back to wherever he came from.” The suggestion slipped out of the succubus’ mouth with ease. She clicked on her tongue as she patted his cheek with a smirk. “Stop frowning so much, old man. You’ll end up getting wrinkles.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey rolled his eyes, though a small smile was now present on his face. “Thanks for the useless advice,” he retorted.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The clock must've struck midnight now, as a sudden firework blasted in the night sky, followed by a series of harmless sparks exploding in the form of a sentence of gratitude towards the demon king of Hades 04. The sight of it made him snicker with amusement.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Thank you for being born, my lord.” Soojung tilted her head up as she read, before turning back to him again. “Happy birthday, handsome.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>For once, he smiled, genuinely this time. The demon king had rarely spent time with the succubus without their interaction escalating into something more vulgar and crude, leading to them spending countless nights together and eventually regretting it in the mornings, but this—he had to admit—was nice. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Thanks.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Without a word, Soojung placed her palm on the crook of his neck to slant her lips over his, swallowing the sound of his startled grunt. He could tell that she had missed the touch of his hands from the way she sighed with satisfaction when he held onto her arm, possibly assuming that the demon king had wanted her back. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>But despite the years they’ve spent as each other’s vessels to express their carnal desires towards one another, the succubus never learnt that when dawn inevitably came by, the demon king would have demanded her to leave once more. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There was no trace of lust flushed in his bones when Soojung’s lips chased after his, and Loey’s eyes were clouded with sobriety when he wrenched himself away, wiping his lipstick-coated mouth with the back of his hand.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You just had to ruin it,” he muttered, his previous comfort now replaced with a new sense of irritation.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Loey?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>His neck snapped towards the source of the small voice with a crack. Loey’s startled gaze stumbled upon the angel’s lost and confused ones, as he stood there with a cupcake held in both hands. The demon king didn’t even know why he had scrambled to get up from the ground quickly, not even bothering to wipe the bits of soil off his legs.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Baekhyun,” he managed to say. It was just a weak croak of his voice. “Why are you out here?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel’s searching eyes kept wandering, yet they never settled on meeting Loey’s expectant gaze as he waited for Baekhyun’s reply. When the angel finally seemed to have snapped out of his silent stupor, he tossed a quick glance at the succubus sitting on the ground before he looked at the demon king once more.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“N-No, I just—they—we were searching for you,” Baekhyun stammered out, a weak smile plastered on his ashen face. “I—sorry, I didn’t realize you had company, I’ll leave now.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey watched with confusion as the angel’s hands began to tremble, and the candle stuck in the small cupcake had long lost its flame. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Wait,” the demon king called, stepping forward without another thought. “You don’t have to leave,” he said. “I’ll go back inside if there’s something important going on.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“No,” Baekhyun said, shaking his head frantically. “No, it’s okay. I’ll go back—you don’t have to—I’m sorry for interrupting you.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey was starting to feel the frustration bubbling up in his stomach once again when he noticed that the angel was refusing to look at him. With a reluctant nod of his head, the demon king had let Baekhyun get away, watching as the angel dashed towards the entrance to the dining chamber with his head lowered.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There it was again—the angel was acting strange again. The demon king frowned, frozen in place.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“That,” Soojung spoke. “Was the angel, wasn’t it?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Yeah,” he answered simply. He didn’t bother turning around to face her as he slid his hands into the pockets of his coat, preparing to leave. “That was a shitty move, Soojung. I didn’t give you the permission to kiss me.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It was a birthday kiss,” she argued. “You’ve never complained about it all these years ago. Why are you so disturbed by it now?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There was no longer a need for him to provide her with an answer. The demon king walked away with his heart stuck to his throat, unable to say another word as he tried to ignore the immense guilt tugging on his conscience. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Another firework blasted high in among the clouds, and for the first time in a while, as Loey leaned against the railing of his balcony, he was without the warm company of a white-winged angel hovering next to him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>—</span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Since then, Loey began to see less of the angel despite them staying in the same damned place. Even if the demon king did see the latter, Baekhyun never tried to look at him anymore, always avoiding Loey’s gaze in a swift motion if their eyes ever met by chance. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>And at times, on the brink of midnight, Loey had waited by the balcony, standing before the glaring moon in hopes of its effulgence being able to attract the angel towards him and the moonlight once more, like a moth to flame, but Baekhyun never came.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king was rather perplexed by Baekhyun’s sudden distant behavior ever since the angel saw him kissing the succubus. In the back of his mind, he still vividly remembered how Baekhyun started to stutter, trembling profusely as he shook his head and left without hearing out for the demon’s explanation—but then again, why would there be a need for Loey to explain himself?</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He was more than certain that Kyungsoo had already known about the previous night’s incident, judging by the way the younger demon never left the angel’s side despite being the demon king’s personal butler for ages. As Loey stood in front of the temporary chamber that he had prepared for the runaway angel all those weeks ago, he was unable to move. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He could hear the soft murmurs of the angel speaking, then there came a surge of gentle laughter slipping out of the small gap of the door that led to the demon king feeling a sense of exasperation just by listening to the sound of it. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>And there it was; Kyungsoo’s voice, light and affectionate as he chided the angel. Gone was the aloof façade that the younger demon wore whenever he faced someone other than the demon king—Loey could practically <i>hear </i>the smile in Kyungsoo’s voice as he spoke to the angel.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king pushed the door open with no second thoughts, tightening his grip on the doorknob when he saw the way Baekhyun leaned in closer towards the other demon once Loey’s eyes bore into the angel’s glinting ones.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Kyungsoo frowned. “My lord?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I want to speak to Baekhyun.” Loey demanded, his adamant gaze never faltering from the angel’s flustered face. “Leave us.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>ABYSS, HADES 04 — BAEKHYUN</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>xii.</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>In spite of seeing the demon king for weeks now, Baekhyun still could not find the strength in him to get used to this.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The glaring sunlight peeking from the slit of his chamber’s curtains reflected on the demon king’s silver locks as he stood there by the doorway. It took the angel a mere glance at the demon king for him to look away quickly, unable to control the constant ache burdening his chest. Each day, as he laid his eyes on the demon, Baekhyun couldn’t refrain himself from falling all over again.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I want to speak to Baekhyun.” He heard the demon king say. “Leave us.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun’s fists clenched under the table, crumpling his silken robes. His heart began to race once more, like it did every single time the demon king was close to him, the tall figure of his shadow following his steps as he entered the chamber. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The frantic beating of his heart refrained him from fully focusing, the constant thumping of it was practically blaring in his ears. There was only the mere murmuring of the two demons’ voices as they seemingly argued, and Baekhyun could barely register the firm hold on his wrist, subtle heat of the other’s hand radiating against his skin.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Kyungsoo was always so protective of him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel’s mind was in a trance as he tried to shake off Kyungsoo’s strong grip from his wrist, willing his heart to beat a little slower so he could get a clue of what was truly happening, but before Baekhyun could snap himself out of his reverie, he was dragged out of his chamber, only coming to a hazy realization when they reached the dark hallway.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Slow down,” he pleaded, almost tripping on his own feet when the two of them came to a sudden halt. Baekhyun stumbled against the other’s chest with a yelp, glancing up at the latter with an apology prepared on the tip of his tongue.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The darkened eyes that met his startled ones certainly belonged to another; someone he had tried with all his might to get away from, yet he couldn’t bring himself to leave, swayed by the gravitational pull that the other man had against him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Baekhyun.” He could hear the demon king calling out for him, clasping onto his wrist even firmer than before.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun backed away with a gasp. “L-Loey!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Why are you avoiding me?” the demon king asked with a frown, stepping closer towards him. Baekhyun didn’t even realize that he kept stumbling backwards until he felt his wings pressing flat against the wall.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I’m not avoiding you,” he lied through gritted teeth, averting his eyes elsewhere. Despite how strikingly different the demon king looked; he still had the same features as the ones that Baekhyun had grown to love in the past. The angel deemed that it would only take one final look into the demon king’s eyes to get him to swoon again.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You’re avoiding me right now,” the demon king argued. “Look at me.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>With great reluctance, Baekhyun let his tired eyes rest upon the demon’s questioning gaze. The demon king’s jaw locked as he furrowed his eyebrows deeply, cornering the angel against the wall. Their close proximity almost made the angel’s heart burst with wistful yearning. Baekhyun’s fingers flinched with pure want as he tried not to lift his hand just to cradle the demon’s face in his palms and pull him closer, and closer, and closer. Never enough. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Is this because Soojung and I kissed?” the demon asked.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>At the mention of the kiss, Baekhyun turned away once more, evidently avoiding the demon’s eyes like an indignant child. He heard the demon king’s dark chuckle rumbling against his chest, and that was when he noticed there was no remaining distance that could separate them. Baekhyun had to crane his neck up just to look at the demon king once more as he watched the corner of the latter’s mouth twisting into a smirk.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun stared at the demon’s lips, the one that had touched another demon’s cherry crimson ones right before his eyes the other night. He tried to refrain himself from letting the envy settling heavy in the pit of his heart take over his entire being. Where did this resentful feeling of jealousy even come from? It was an emotion that the angel had never felt before—yet this time, it came to him at full speed, throttling him with an intense ache that he couldn’t bring himself to get rid of.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He could <i>feel </i>himself changing bit by bit as soon as he stepped into the doors of Hades 04. Never once, in his entire experience of being a celestial angel from Eden 61, did he ever felt a burning hatred and envy towards another, and yet here he was, almost trembling with anger as he recalled the night that he had seen the demon king kissing another.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Is that it?” the demon scoffed with a hint of amusement laced in his voice. “You’re avoiding me because you saw someone kiss me?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun was adamant on keeping his mouth shut. At this point, he could not trust himself any longer. He was afraid that the absolute truth might just slip out of his mouth as each second passed.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“That’s it. You’re avoiding me because of that kiss.” The demon pressed on, laughing slightly. “What are you, my husband?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun’s heart dropped. It was almost as if the frantic beating of his heart had stopped the moment the demon king had asked him that question. But it wasn’t the particular question that had the angel’s calm demeanor almost crumbling down with disappointment—it was the obvious sarcasm, heavy and evident in the demon king’s voice that made Baekhyun’s guts churn. He felt sick.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“No,” the angel eventually replied in a whisper.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Then what is it?” the demon king asked as he released his grip on Baekhyun’s wrist. Immediately, Baekhyun craved for the warmth of the other’s hold again—he had to physically stop himself from reaching out for the demon.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I don’t get this,” the demon said. “I don’t get any of this.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“What?” Baekhyun mumbled.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I really don’t understand why Kyungsoo is so protective of you when you’re practically just a stranger.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>A stranger. That was how significant Baekhyun was to the demon king. In the back of his mind, he already knew that—he completely understood why the demon would feel that way. It made complete sense, yet it still didn’t stop the angel from feeling saddened by it. But it wasn’t the demon’s fault that he could not seem to remember who Baekhyun truly was.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Then I got to know you, and truthfully, I was even beginning to consider you as a friend.” The demon released a dry laugh, but there was no trace of a smile present on his face. Still, he was just as beautiful as Baekhyun remembered he used to be. “And now, it’s like the same thing is happening again. You’re not speaking to me. Kyungsoo is obviously hiding something from me. Fuck, even Sehun seems to know more than me.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun figured that if he was in the demon king’s shoes, he might have felt the same way—being kept in the dark and left in confusion, protected from a secret of the past that might just hurt him again if it was ever revealed to him. It pained Baekhyun to watch as the demon king’s expression morphed from anger to devastation as he confided in the angel.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>As the demon expressed his frustration, it seemed as if something in him had snapped as he brought his sharp gaze back to Baekhyun’s sorrowful eyes. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Who <i>are </i>you, Baekhyun?” he questioned with a dark croak of his voice, hands grasping onto the angel’s shoulders. “Tell me the truth; tell me the real reason why you were waiting in front of the gates of Hades? Why did you hug me as soon as I released you from that cage? And why… Why do I see you in my dreams so frequently, only for my dreams to disappear right when you barged into my life?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It was rather funny—how he had the answers to every single question that the demon king had voiced out, yet he could not bring himself to open his mouth and tell the truth. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>I’m your husband, </span>
      </span>
    </i>
    <span>
      <span>he desperately wanted to say. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The words were right there, at the furthest end of his throat, only waiting to spill. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>I waited in front of the gates of Hades 04 because I wanted to see you and what you have become. I hugged you because I missed you. You saw me in your dreams so frequently because that was the only way we could have met once more.</span>
      </span>
    </i>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Instead, all he did was shake his head, pressing his hands on the demon king’s chest to push him away. The latter had staggered backwards with a frown, reaching his hand out to grab on Baekhyun’s wrist again, but the angel stepped away before the demon could have done so. With one last look in the demon’s eyes, Baekhyun gave him a small smile.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I’m sorry, Loey,” he said, turning away. Even now, that name still feels foreign on his tongue. “I can’t tell you.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>In the end, Baekhyun was truly the selfish one.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>HADES 04 — LOEY</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>xiii.</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It has been a while since he last dreamt.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>But he’s aware that this—the current reverie he’s descending in—is a dream, for he’s surrounded by the familiar glass dome again. Only this time, Loey can clearly see himself in the reflection on the surface of the nearby river. He taps on his sunken face, almost flinching once the cold sensation of his hands hit his skin before he tugged onto the silver strands of his hair.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It’s the first time that he’s able to see himself so clearly despite being in a dream. He scrambles to his feet when he hears a familiar sonorous laugh resounding from within the dome, and amidst the loud chirping of songbirds hovering all around the dome, Loey still hears the fit of laughter clearly. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Then comes a ringing of a piano that accompanies the laughter, and Loey starts chasing. He trails after the lingering voice, treading the pathway filled with roses that were once peachy, now tainted with crimson blood splattered on each petal.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Baekhyun!” Loey finds himself shouting. The angel must be here somewhere—that much he knows. He’s beginning to think that this foreign place—the one that welcomes him every time he finds himself in a dream might be the interior of Eden itself, but at the same time, he can’t seem to shake the trepidation tugging on conscience that tells him there is a more sinister part of Eden 61 that others might not know of.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He stops in his track as a giggle of a child approaches him. Loey spins around with widened eyes as he sees Hyunjae running towards his direction with open arms, the child’s bright eyes crinkling as he smiles. But the little demon that he had slowly learned to love doesn’t have such massive snowy wings. As the boy grins, Loey realizes that Hyunjae no longer has the small fangs that he loved to boast about. Just before the demon king could pull the boy into his arms, Hyunjae runs past him without sparing a glance towards him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Hyunjae!” Loey exclaims as he watches the boy run off to where the resounding laughter is coming from.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon dashes towards the boy, desperately reaching his arm out to get a grasp of the boy’s hand, but he comes to an abrupt halt when he sees a familiar figment that he had seen in his dreams before. Loey’s heart skips a beat. There he is—the angel that Loey has been trying to search for, sitting on a small bench as he plays a tune on the piano, like he always does when Loey starts to dream of him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>But this time, the angel is no longer alone. There is someone else sitting right beside him, with great white wings matching the other angel’s fluttering ones. He feels a pang of disappointment as he watches Baekhyun turn to the other angel with the warmest smile that Loey has ever seen. Baekhyun leans closer towards the other angel, resting his head on the latter’s shoulder with ease as the two of them create a new melody on the musical instrument. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Baekhyun…” he calls out weakly.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Only then, Baekhyun lifts his head from the other’s shoulder to turn around to look at the demon, but the smile on the angel’s face falters once their eyes meet. Loey wants to say something—anything—he just needs an explanation of what is currently happening, and an answer as to why he feels his heart threatening to burst at the mere sight of Baekhyun caving in the warmth of another.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Baekhyun,” he says again. “What—”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The words are stuck to his throat when Loey catches a glimpse of the other angel turning around to face him. It’s almost if the demon is staring back at himself; the other angel’s dark brown eyes bore right into him, contrasting Loey’s greatly red ones.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Who are you?” the other angel asks with a tilt of his head. Loey feels his entire body stiffening. He can’t get himself to purge out an answer. “Why are you calling out for Baekhyun?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Because—” </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>Because he’s mine, </span>
      </span>
    </i>
    <span>
      <span>the demon almost says. <i>He belongs to my realm. What is he doing here—with you?</i></span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Don’t mind him, Chanyeol.” He hears Baekhyun say to the other angel without hesitance. The angel doesn’t spare a glance at him as he turns away. “He’ll disappear soon. Like he always does.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Wait!” Loey yells. “Baekhyun!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The other angel—<i>Chanyeol</i>—stares at him with a look that he can’t seem to comprehend. “You look like you don’t belong here,” Chanyeol says. The taller angel gives Loey a soft smile as he cradles Baekhyun in his embrace, humming before he looks away.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>As he staggers back, Loey ends up falling.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>—</span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He awakened with a loud scream of despair.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king sat up on his bed, sweating profusely as he took in his surroundings, only to sigh in relief when he realized that he was back in his usual chamber. His hands grabbed onto the silken bed sheets as he remembered the details of the dream he had—it almost felt like it was real.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Great, you’re up.” A voice came from his left. Loey turned to his side to see Sehun staring back at him languidly, as if he had been waiting for the demon king to wake up from his sleep.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“How the fuck did you get in here?” Loey spat. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Kyungsoo let me in. Don’t bother trying to find him—he’s out with Baekhyun and Hyunjae in Tartarus.” The grim reaper knocked on the demon king’s head with his scythe before pointing towards the bathroom. “Go and get dressed.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey frowned. “Why?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“We’re going on a trip,” Sehun replied simply, kicking the demon king’s bedsheets away. “Come on. We don’t have all day to do this, you know.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Stop being so disrespectful,” the demon king hissed as he sent a sharp glare towards the grim reaper. “Where exactly are we going?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Sehun gave him a knowing smile. “To the place where the deceased’s memories are stored.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>PURGATORY 27 — LOEY</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>xiv.</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Throughout his entire lifetime as a demon, Loey had never stepped his foot inside of Purgatory. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Contrary to popular belief that had claimed Purgatory 27 as an eerie, hollow realm of nothingness, Loey found the distinctive realm rather tranquil. Perhaps it was because he had heard plenty of rumors about the other rooms of Purgatory—the 11th one more so than others—and how it was filled with terror to the part where it had led to the particular realm being known as the worst one of all, lower than Hades 04 itself.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>But here, in Purgatory 27, as Loey watched the grim reaper adjusting one of the keys hanging on the wall, he realized that there was nothing to fear after all. That doesn’t explain why Sehun had brought him all the way here, though.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You dragged me here just to look at some keys?” Loey asked with a chortle.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The grim reaper gave a firm shake of his head. “No,” he said. “I dragged you here because it’s time for you to know the truth.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>His playful grin fell once he realized that there was no hint of amusement in the entirety of Sehun’s demeanor. The grim reaper kept staring at the countless keys on each side of the walls, as if he was searching for a particular one as he spoke once more. “Have you heard about that one folklore from all those centuries ago?” Sehun asked. “About the fallen angel?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The fallen angel.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He was completely sure that everyone had heard about that folklore before, at least once in their life. It was that kind of story where people tell their children as a bedtime story, or simply to teach the children a lesson in life. Loey had heard about it before as well, once or twice when he had walked past the chattering citizens of Hades 04.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Yeah,” the demon king replied. “What about it?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“That folklore isn’t exactly all that sweet, you know,” Sehun told him. “I mean, yeah, the guardian angel fell for the human that he was supposed to look after, blah, blah.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Then the guardian angel became a fallen and turned himself into a mortal just to be with the human that he loved.” The demon king scowled, crossing his arms. “Yeah, I know all about it. Is there a point to this story?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“He didn’t turn himself into a mortal,” the grim reaper denied. He stopped before he reached the farthest corner of the wall as he stared up to a particular key with a small smile.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey wasn’t one to back down so easily. It was pointless to argue about a mere folklore, but the demon king was certain that he knew of the truth. “Yes, he did.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“No.” Sehun insisted. “Right after the fallen angel was casted out of heaven, he became a demon.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There was a growing lump in his throat that only tightened the more he spoke. “Why are you telling me this, Sehun?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Here,” the grim reaper said as he handed him the key. “It’s the key to your past memories.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king fell silent, staring at the small key placed on the palm of his hand before his gaze turned to the pathway on the furthest corner of Purgatory 27, leading towards a door. The key felt heavy in his hands as he held onto it, fists clenching.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Don’t look so scared,” Sehun quipped teasingly. “I’ll head there with you.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Past memories,” Loey muttered under his breath. “What do you mean by that?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You have no memories of your life before you became the demon king of Hades 04.” The grim reaper stated. “Don’t you think that’s a little strange?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It was true. He hadn’t thought about it, but now that Sehun had pointed it out, the demon king began to realize that he had no memories of his childhood, or how he grew up to become the ruler of Hades. He didn’t even know if he had a mother.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It’s your choice.” He heard the other say. “I won’t force you to retrieve your past memories. I know how content you are with the life you have as the demon king.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>—</span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>As he walked through that door, Loey stepped into a pitch-dark alleyway.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He could barely see the path of streets, illuminated by a single streetlight that was flickering weakly. The demon king felt a hand on his shoulder as Sehun stood beside him, nodding towards the direction of a man walking towards them with his hands kept in the pocket of a coat that seemed too big for him to be wearing. Loey had to squint his scrutinizing eyes just to get a clear glimpse of the small figure treading along the alley.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Baekhyun,” he murmured. He didn’t have to take a closer look to know that it was Baekhyun that he was staring at. Aside from the green scarf covering his mouth, the man had the complete facial features of the angel that Loey had known, but there were no wings in sight. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“He was a mortal.” Sehun had pointed out.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“He looks so small,” the demon mumbled. Baekhyun was a mortal. An actual human. It was strange to see him without his bright, wide grin and his massive snowy wings. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Can he see us?” Loey asked.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“No,” the grim reaper said with a shake of his head. “We’re walking in the collection of your memories, after all.” </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Sehun grabbed onto Loey’s shoulders and brought him closer towards the human standing by the bus stop with his head lowered. Somehow, the demon king was reluctant to approach Baekhyun, afraid that the man might recognize him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Just then, Loey saw a tall figure looming from behind the human. It didn’t require him a double take to distinguish who it was. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Chanyeol.” The angel’s name slipped out of his mouth with ease. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Sehun turned to look at him in surprise. “How do you know that name?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Heard it in my dreams a couple of times,” he replied. “And I saw him in my dreams last night, too.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun flinched in shock when the angel slithered his arms around the human’s waist, lifting him up from the ground before he spun the human around in his embrace, pulling an endearing laugh out of him as he kicked his feet in the air. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“That’s me, isn’t it?” Loey asked quietly. But he didn’t need to hear the answer. He could recognize himself even from afar, but he could not deny that the angel seemed happier than he did. The demon king could barely remember the last time he had genuinely laughed.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Yeah,” Sehun answered simply. “You were Baekhyun’s guardian angel. Gosh, look at that stupid face of yours. You were so in love with him.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Don’t call my face stupid,” Loey muttered. Still, he did as he was told. He took a long look at the tall angel, cradling Baekhyun’s face in his hands to provide warmth, pressing kisses on the human’s face despite the latter’s shriek of playful objection. It was almost undeniable that the angel—<i>Chanyeol</i>—was in love with the man standing before him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I was in love with Baekhyun,” he said, repeating the particular revelation in his mind.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Sehun pursed his lips, nodding. “You were, but guardian angels aren’t supposed to fall in love with humans.” The grim reaper stared up at the night sky. It seemed like it was about to rain. “Then you came to me and begged me to take Baekhyun’s life.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Within a split second, Loey tore his gaze away from the pair of lovers standing by the sidewalk to look at the grim reaper, surprised. “What?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“And I did,” Sehun continued. “I took his life, and then I brought him to Eden 61 so he could live with you.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>—</span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>As Sehun led him towards another door, Loey felt like he had stepped into one of his dreams again.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The glass dome seemed even larger than the one he had dreamt of. The demon stooped down slightly to pluck a lone petal of the peach-tinted roses that he remembered seeing. He remembered it all—how many steps it took for him to reach the riverbed, and the rosy path that led towards the direction of the large piano that he would see Baekhyun playing on. Only this time, his surrounding was based on a memory rather than a nightly reverie.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“This is Eden 61,” Sehun had informed him. “Frankly, I definitely prefer walking around in Hades 04. Look how stuffy it is over here.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king chuckled lightly. “It does seem a little calmer than Hades, though.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Calm is boring.” The grim reaper shrugged. “At this current hour in Eden, you’re probably feeding the rabbits.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I had pet rabbits?” Loey couldn’t help but snort. Considering his current state, he couldn’t exactly fathom the thought of him owning a pet just for the sake of it. As the demon king, it seemed rather unfeasible. At the very least, he owned a few dragons in his dungeon, if one could ever consider them as pets.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Yeah, they used to follow you around like little baby ducks.” Sehun laughed. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The sound of hollow footsteps pulled his attention away from the grim reaper as his heart started to quicken. Despite the countless times he had seen himself wandering in Eden 61, he still anticipated to see Baekhyun’s presence right before his eyes, as if the mere sight of him in Loey’s dreams just wasn’t enough. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>But as the footsteps got closer, and the demon king got a closer look of the figure’s face, it was far from the angel that he had expected to see. Loey could feel his entire being stiffen as he watched a lone angel striding towards the riverbed, plopping onto the grass with a heavy sigh.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“He was an angel too,” Sehun explained, unfazed. “I don’t know about you, but I like him better when he’s a demon.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king stared in disbelief as Kyungsoo brought his knees to his chest, pulling on the grasses with a clenched fist. Loey felt a sense of dismay as he observed Kyungsoo’s angelic form. He felt betrayed, even. How long had the younger demon been keeping such secrets from him?</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Don’t be too mad at him,” the grim reaper said. “He’s been repenting on his mistakes for centuries now.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Mistakes?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Sehun nodded. The grim reaper made his way towards the brooding figure, crouching down next to him before he gave the angel a light pat on his head. “Even now, he still beats himself up over it, from time to time. Kyungsoo doesn’t really show it, but I know how sad he truly is.” </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The longer he looked at the angel, the ache that the demon king kept feeling in his heart somehow grew even heavier. Despite never seeing Kyungsoo in his celestial form before, there was something about the latter that made a distant memory kept in the back of his mind start to resurface.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“This,” Sehun began, pointing towards the saddened angel. “This was a few years after you got married to Baekhyun in secret. Kyungsoo left your home right after he found out that you and Baekhyun were planning to adopt a child of Eden.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“A child…” Loey mumbled. There was only one significant name that came to his mind. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Hyunjae,” the grim reaper said with a small smile. “The adoption was Baekhyun’s idea. And since you were too in love with him, you couldn’t say no. Neither could Kyungsoo.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king stared at the lone angel. Throughout his entire lifetime, he had never seen Kyungsoo with any speck of emotion on his constantly impassive expression, yet there he was, hiding his face in his hands as he grunted in frustration. He had never seen Kyungsoo looking so devastated before—the sight of it didn’t feel right to him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“He was in love with Baekhyun too.” Loey had realized, albeit a little too late. How could he have missed it? Even now, back in Hades 04, Loey had long noticed that Kyungsoo would never leave Baekhyun’s sight, his red irises burning with inferno as soon as the demon king had demanded for the angel to leave. How insistent he was to assure that both Baekhyun and Hyunjae were safe and comforted under the demon king’s territory.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“He loved Baekhyun more than anything else,” Sehun replied sullenly. “But… soon, an immense feeling of envy took over him entirely.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>As Kyungsoo’s sobs got heavier, the living beings surrounding him started to falter, weakening with each quiver of the angel’s cries. The stream of the river had long stopped, each lilac that had grown all around him began to wilt, and the songbirds whimpered a strain of heartbreak, entwined with the angel’s weeping. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey stole a quick glance towards Sehun, noting how quiet he was, before the demon king saw the frown etched on the grim reaper’s face. It seemed like this was a difficult sight to see for him, too.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Once Kyungsoo’s cries had ceased, the angel raised his head, hiccupping with a leftover sob, but his lip no longer trembled with sorrow. His hand clenched around a single lilac, crumpling its petals before he pulled it from its roots, then tossed it aside. The tears that traced his cheeks had long dissipated when he stood, the majesty of his wings expanding impeccably before he hoisted himself up into the air and glided through the clouds.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Where is he going?” Loey asked. His eyes shot up to search for the angel, but the celestial being was no longer in his sight.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Elysium. Consider it the Abyss of Eden 61.” The grim reaper swallowed tightly before he spoke. “He’s heading there to meet the archangel.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>—</span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There was something about Elysium that had sent shivers down the demon king’s spine.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It was as if he had seen this particular place before—like a scene in a movie, or a snippet from the figment of his imagination, or even a dream that he could barely remember. Loey took in each and every detail of familiarity all around Elysium, like déjà vu, before he saw Kyungsoo dashing past him, hurrying towards the other direction. And as the demon king looked to his left, to where Kyungsoo had gone, it was almost as if his surroundings had frozen.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The harsh impact of his shock had caused him to stagger back as his hands trembled with newfound fear of the god-like being that stood before him. He would’ve fallen if it wasn’t for the grim reaper’s arms bracing his back in surprise. “Loey!” Sehun exclaimed.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I-I’ve seen him before,” the demon king stuttered. “I don’t know where, but I’ve seen him—I’ve seen him—”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“The archangel…” Sehun mumbled. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey’s heart began to palpitate with immense fright as sweat travelled down his neck. Never once did he ever experience feeling such a sense of fearfulness—the demon king was supposed to have nothing to fear, and yet here he was, frightened beyond his own control as his bloodshot eyes welled up with tears.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He could not quite pinpoint where he had seen the archangel before exactly. Loey was almost certain that he had remembered every bit of the dreams he had; every count of roses arranged in the glass dome, every freckle scattered across Baekhyun’s face, and every step it took for him to reach the riverbed. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The archangel had never appeared in his dreams before—instead, it felt like the image of the archangel’s features had been engraved in the back of his mind, settling in the pit of his conscience even before he had started dreaming. As if the archangel was the only fragment of his past he could truly remember.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey watched as Kyungsoo kneeled down on the sacred ground, facing the expectant archangel. The demon king listened to the way Kyungsoo stammered, pleading for the king of all angels’ forgiveness, wide eyes blinking manically. “Chanyeol has committed a grave sin—he was—he fell in love with a human and forcefully brought him into Eden! His husband—B-Baekhyun—Baekhyun was a mortal!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>A beat had passed. Through his clouded eyes, Loey could still see Kyungsoo’s mouth moving as he confided in the archangel, of the grave sins that Chanyeol had committed, of the human that turned into the most ethereal angel, of the child of Eden that the two angels had proclaimed as theirs. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Somehow, he felt as if he could almost envisage all of those occurrences—as if it had been here all along, hidden in the furthest corner of his mind, slowly unravelling as he listened to Kyungsoo’s confession of the sins he had committed in the past. What if his memories had never truly disappeared to begin with? </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Loey.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Perhaps his memories as an angel were just concealed by the thought of an ideal life as the ruler of Hell.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Loey!” The demon king barely noticed that he had fallen onto the ground if it wasn’t for Sehun calling out for him. The grim reaper kneeled by his side, patting his face, alarmed. “Are you okay?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The sharp, drilling ache in the demon’s head came within an instant, pulling a pained cry out of his throat as he slammed his palms on the ground to withhold the tears threatening to fall down his eyes once more. “It hurts,” Loey managed to gasp out as he clutched onto his head.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Fragments of a soft smile flashed in the back of his eyes, occupying the entirety of Loey’s mind and sight to the point where he was unable to even see the concerned grim reaper trying to shake him out of the intense trance that he was pulled into. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Soon, all he saw was glimpses of Baekhyun’s grin, the brightest ones, the ones he had never seen before—then he saw the angel’s eyes, turning the corner of his cheekbones into crinkles as he laughed, and the images of Baekhyun’s features continued to flare in his mind, bit by bit, like an excerpt of a sonnet.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It was as if he had plummeted into a realm where the only subject that had mattered was the angel—his angel—Baekhyun; from the shortest glimpse of the man with tired eyes glinting with the flickers of a street light, to a snippet of the angel of Eden 61 with his lips jutted out in an indignant pout as he wrapped his arms around his husband’s waist.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>“Chanyeol,” </span>
      </span>
    </i>
    <span>
      <span>the angel would whine.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The way Baekhyun had called out for his name kept repeating in his mind, almost deafening.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>“Chanyeol, don’t you want to adopt that boy? Look at him.”</span>
      </span>
    </i>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Along with Baekhyun’s voice, came a chain of memories that Loey had never recalled seeing before; of him watching quietly as the angel cradled their child gently in his arms, of Baekhyun holding onto his hand, twirling in front of him with a laugh—of Baekhyun’s whispers muffled in the crook of his neck right after they had shared a kiss. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king took in a sharp breath once his nostalgic epiphany had momentarily halted. Only then, he realized that Sehun had been frantically holding onto his shoulders, yelling out for him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Loey,” the grim reaper called as he panted, his brows furrowed with distress. “Loey, can you hear me? If you’re not feeling so well, we can go back to Hades—”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“No,” Loey croaked out as he tried to regain his breath. “I… I remember.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Sehun paused, his hands falling to his sides. “You do?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon felt a twinge of despair in his chest as the memories of his past slowly returned to him. He remembered.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Every last bit of his memories, from the first day he had seen Byun Baekhyun right in front of his eyes, to the last memory he had of Baekhyun’s smile—they kept coming back to him all at once.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He remembered it all.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>One by one, each of his memories had resurfaced, and Loey began to learn the true meaning of pain again. It was the look of disappointment and betrayal plastered on the archangel’s expression that had struck fear within him, a sense of terror that never really went away. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He remembered when Kyungsoo had appeared in front of his door that day, how his gaze remained soft when he looked at Baekhyun. But despite seeing the look of confusion on the angel that he had claimed to love, Kyungsoo brought the family of three to Elysium without even the slightest tinge of remorse.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey remembered it clearly now—there was no way for him to repress the recollection of his life as an angel. Kyungsoo had thrown them to the ground of the archangel’s region and appealed for the respective punishments to befall the family due to the sins that Chanyeol had committed.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>And he remembered the way Baekhyun had desperately begged for mercy, crying out for him when they were separated by force—he’d memorized the sound of Baekhyun’s pained scream as he tried to reach out for his husband just before his fatal punishment had commenced. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Loey.” Sehun called out his name, tapping on the demon’s face with his hands. “Take deep breaths. Let’s leave for now, alright?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“How…” Loey tried to suppress the sob that tried to climb its way out of his throat. He swallowed sharply, shoulders heaving as he struggled to breathe. “How could Kyungsoo do that to me? To Baekhyun?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>How could he? For thousands of years now, the demon king had kept Kyungsoo by his side, and trusted him greatly with his life. How could the younger demon betray him like this—how could he stand by the demon king through all of those centuries, consciously holding onto a lie of Loey’s entire life? There was no one else that Loey had trusted—since the beginning of time, the demon king had put his faith in the younger demon. He had adored him with all his heart.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Loey—”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“No!” the demon king exclaimed with exasperation. “That… That’s not even my real name! For ten centuries, I’ve been fed with lies. Kyungsoo had been lying to me all this time!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“He lived in regret,” Sehun said. “Kyungsoo felt guilty of what he did the moment you turned into a fallen angel, Loey.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The intensity of the demon’s shout boomed across the hall of Elysium. <i>“Lies!”</i></span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It’s the truth. Please, believe me.” The grim reaper clasped his hands around the demon king’s wrists, pleading. “Right after you were sent to Hell, and Baekhyun was thrown in Purgatory 11, Kyungsoo had begged for the archangel to dethrone him so he could become a Fallen, too. That was why he became a demon. He wanted to repent on his mistakes by making things right again.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king remained silent as he stared down to his trembling hands. He no longer knew who to trust. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You were there, too,” Loey mumbled in realization. “Weren’t you?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Reluctantly, Sehun nodded. “I was,” he whispered. “But there was nothing I could have done. I belonged to neither Eden 61 nor Hades 04. I was only there to retain your memories.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The grim reaper held onto Loey’s quivering hands as he continued. “It took ten centuries for the punishment to be lifted. Kyungsoo has waited for this long just to make sure that you could reunite with your husband and your son,” Sehun said. “That was the reason why he had been observing Hyunjae ever since the boy was reborn as a human, and he waited for the day of the boy’s death—that’s why he was insistent on letting Baekhyun stay in Abyss.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“That doesn’t excuse the fact that he had been lying to me ever since I was crowned as the king of Hades.” Loey frowned deeply.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Although you deserve to know the truth since the beginning, Kyungsoo had kept it a secret for your own good.” Sehun’s gaze had softened as he took a long look at the demon king’s disheveled state. “Plus, remembering what had happened in the past would just cause you more pain.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You don’t get to decide that,” the demon rasped with a dark scowl.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I know,” the grim reaper replied with a sad smile. “I’m sorry.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Just as he felt a pang of exhaustion hit him, Loey had long lost the strength to stand. The pulsing ache in his head made him stagger on his feet as he hoisted himself up, refusing the grim reaper’s request on assisting him while he trudged on the sacred ground of Elysium. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king turned and gave one final glance towards the archangel. The fear was still there, instilled in the pit of his heart, but now, Loey couldn’t bring himself to care—he felt no sense of vengeance. Despite retrieving his past memories, Loey was still content with the life he currently had—the life that the archangel had given to him as a punishment—as the demon king of Hades 04. The realm that others had considered as the source of all evil, yet Loey had never known any other place that was as peaceful and pure as the supposed Hell. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>In the end, it turned out that Baekhyun had made a fair point when he told the demon king that he had preferred to remain in the refuge of Hades 04 rather than the land of heaven, Eden 61 itself.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king chuckled gently, earning an odd look from the grim reaper who walked beside him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“What’s so funny?” Sehun asked. “You literally just found out that you were an angel, and now you’re laughing?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I just realized how terrible this place is,” Loey replied with another set of amused laughter. It didn’t matter if his memories had returned. He would never miss the life he had in Eden 61, not when he now had the chance to recreate new memories with both Baekhyun and Hyunjae in a place where a demon like him truly belonged. “I just wanna go home.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He just wanted to head back to Abyss.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Home.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>That was where his angel truly was.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>ABYSS, HADES 04 — LOEY</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>xv.</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>After stepping into multiple realms based on the fragments of his memory and eventually remembering his true identity, the demon king felt rather exhausted. It was a lot to take in; to get to know that he had an entirely different life, a different name—that, if he was being truly honest, was a bit of a mouthful to pronounce—and he had fallen in love with an immortal that was the complete opposite of his kind. And yet, it seemed like they would still get along perfectly.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>Baekhyun.</span>
      </span>
    </i>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>At the mere thought of the angel’s name, Loey began to smile as his heart raced. A small part of him wanted to hurl a molten rock to his own head once he had realized how much of an idiot he had been, spending all those sleepless nights wondering why it felt like he could not get away from the angel no matter how hard he had tried—perplexed by the instant gravitational pull that kept him close to the runaway angel, thinking about that soft smile of his even when the demon king was deep asleep. The angel used to be his <i>husband,</i> for Eden’s sake.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king ran his fingers through his silver locks as he scurried into the entrance of Abyss, unable to keep the wide grin of excitement off his face. It didn’t matter if he was on the brink of passing out due to the exhaustion of exploring the memories of the past—Loey desperately wanted to see Baekhyun again. He needed to look at his angel and tell him that he remembered him. He remembered everything.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>But as Loey dashed into his chamber, the sight that welcomed him had made his smile falter almost instantly.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Kyungsoo,” he muttered as his arms fell to his sides. Loey stood by the doorway quietly as the younger demon approached his frozen state. It was only when Kyungsoo took a step closer that allowed the demon king to notice the younger demon’s reddened eyes—it seemed like Kyungsoo had shed tears.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“My lord,” Kyungsoo had greeted him. Like he always did. “Welcome back.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The older demon let a momentary silence pass before he nodded. “Yeah. You too. I heard you were in Tartarus City with Baekhyun and Hyunjae today.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I was,” Kyungsoo mumbled, sniffling slightly. His hands fidgeted on his lap as he looked up at the demon king. “I wanted to keep them entertained while you were in Purgatory 27.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Alright.” Loey said stiffly. When he realized that there was nothing else for him to say to the younger demon, he walked past him, chucking his coat on the bed. “You can leave if you’re only just going to stand there.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I’m sorry,” Kyungsoo finally said. “I know it won’t be easy for you to forgive me anytime soon, but I hope you know that I… I’m truly sorry for everything I’ve done to you.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king let out a sigh as he turned around, frowning. “I just don’t get it. You had over a thousand years to tell me that we used to be angels and that you ratted me out to the fucking archangel just because you were in love with my husband.” Loey snapped sharply, pausing when he realized what had slipped out of his mouth. “I mean my ex-husband. I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it yet. But that’s beside the point.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I’m terribly sorry,” the younger demon stressed, exasperated. “I had intended to tell you only after the punishment had been lifted, so you wouldn’t have to wait too long to see Baekhyun and your son again… I’m sorry. It wasn’t for me to decide.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I don’t know how to explain how betrayed I feel, Kyungsoo,” Loey said. “You were the only one that I’d really trusted.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I know,” Kyungsoo replied in a mumble. “It’s my fault for breaking your trust, but… I will do anything to get you to trust me again.” The younger demon lowered his head, staring down to the marbled floors, unable to face the demon king.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Loey observed the cowering demon silently. Kyungsoo—who had never shown any trace of emotions on his cold, impassive face throughout all the years that the demon king had known him—was expressing sadness and even the slightest bit of fear in the span of less than an hour. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king was still upset, of course, but he had to admit that it was a little amusing to see the new side of the other demon. Loey hummed, lifting his hand to ruffle Kyungsoo’s hair, feeling the latter jolting under the touch of his palm. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It’ll take a while for me to fully trust you again,” Loey muttered truthfully. “And to forgive you. But I will, sometime soon.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The other demon had raised his head with widened eyes. “Really?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Yeah.” The demon king shrugged languidly. “Probably in about ten more centuries.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Kyungsoo’s mouth curved into the smallest hint of a smile as he nodded. “I can wait that long.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I know you can.” Loey let out a snort before he looked away, scratching the back of his head. “And… thanks for bringing Baekhyun and Hyunjae into my life again.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It was the least I could do,” Kyungsoo said. “After all of the mistakes I have made.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>ABYSS, HADES 04 — BAEKHYUN</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>xvi.</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel stared out the window, watching carelessly as the wind brushed lightly against stray leaves. He had only realized that throughout the weeks that he had been living in Hades, it never rained, yet none of the plants surrounding the compound of Abyss were wilted. In fact, they seemed rather lively, even more lively than the ones he had seen back in heaven.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Eden 61. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Inevitably, sometime soon, he knew that he would eventually have to return to Eden. After spending a certain amount of time in Purgatory 11, the punished souls of Eden 61 were given two choices; to repent on the sins that they had committed, or to be sent to Hell’s door. He resisted the urge to let out a loud chortle as he reviewed the options. Baekhyun would have chosen the latter without any reluctance. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>His chest heaved as he sighed, swirling the stick of human lung candy in his mouth, the sticky sweet sensation feeling heavenly on his tongue. He was almost completely sure that if he ever were to go back to Eden, he would miss the candied snack the most. But would the archangel ever allow him to step his foot into the supposedly sacred ground of Eden 61 if they knew just how much Baekhyun had changed for the worse? </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel didn’t want to leave. The thought of leaving behind a lifetime of happiness just to return to the home of corrupted angels made his heart clench. Baekhyun had been waiting for an eternity to see his husband again—he had gone through immense torture, restrained in Purgatory for over ten centuries. The only thing that kept him going was the memory of a jubilant life that he once had with the fallen angel and their child. He wasn’t going to throw it all away just for the sake of repenting on a sin.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Still, Baekhyun could physically feel the way his powers he had as an angel slowly began to dissipate. He had to admit he was surprised that the little bits of his powers had lasted until this day, considering how long he had been staying in Hell, surrounded by demons. But soon, if the angel didn’t return to Eden, his abilities would’ve ceased to exist. By then, he would just be a mere immortal that belonged nowhere.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He needed to go back. Perhaps not so soon.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“No,” Baekhyun mumbled to himself. “Not now.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He needed to see the demon king one last time before he could ever leave. The angel had regretted the way he had ended the previous conversation he had with Loey, so blinded by his idiotic emotions, too focused on how upset he was to see his own husband kissing someone else. Baekhyun sighed once more, suckling on his candy. He should probably apologize to the demon king for creating such a scene.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The harsh slam of his chamber’s door startled Baekhyun out of his daydream as he spun around in his chair, only to see the demon king himself. It was undeniable that the sight of the demon’s disheveled hair and wide eyes had terrified the angel to a certain extent as he stared at the way Loey continued to stand there, panting heavily. The door swung weakly, almost broken in half, with little scraps of its wood catching on the fire that the demon king might’ve had unintentionally blasted from his palms.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“There you are,” the demon said with a smile. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I…” Baekhyun stammered, speechless. The candy that he had been munching on had fallen onto his lap as his mouth hung open in surprise. “But… I’ve been here all along.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king laughed at his reply, the sound of it almost seraphic to the angel’s ears. Loey strode towards him, bright eyes filled with fiery determination, and Baekhyun found himself frozen in his seat as the demon kept getting closer to him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It was unfair. The angel was not given the time to think—he wasn’t able to even properly process what was going on before he felt the warmth of the demon’s lips pressing against his. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun’s eyes shot wide open in shock as the demon king’s arms glided around his waist as if he had been used to doing it, pulling Baekhyun closer and closer in his embrace to the point where the angel had found it hard to breathe. Not when Loey was so close to him like this, kissing the life out of him, but Baekhyun was a mere angel, barely human, deeply in love—the best thing he could do was to wrap his arms around Loey’s neck, kissing the demon back with fervor. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Once they pulled away to regain their breaths, Baekhyun blinked up to look at the demon king. “Loey?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon stared at him with an all-too-familiar look before he hid his face in the crook of Baekhyun’s neck, his rhythmic breathing tickling the skin of the angel’s nape. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Chanyeol,” the demon king whispered. “My name is Chanyeol.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>This time, it felt like he couldn’t breathe at all. Baekhyun’s heart completely stopped as the demon held him tightly, rough fingers carding through his hair. The angel pulled away slightly, just to take a look at the demon king’s face, to assure himself that this wasn’t a part of his daydream, that the love of his life standing before him was really there.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Hey, angel,” the demon called out for him with a smile. “You okay?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun cradled the other’s face in his hands as his eyes started to well up with tears once he realized how real it felt—to be holding Chanyeol so close to him again. “What did you just say?” the angel rasped.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon flashed a playful grin, but there seemed to be newfound tears tracing down his cheeks. “I said my name is Chanyeol,” he repeated with a pout. “Is it that hard to pronounce?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun let out a startled yelp as he felt the demon king hoisting him up from his seat, pulling him impossibly closer. The smile on the demon’s face rendered him completely speechless as he held onto him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You…” Baekhyun’s voice wavered as he spoke. “Do you really remember?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king gave him a quick nod. “I’m sorry it took me so long,” Chanyeol said, leaning in to press a kiss on his forehead. “You must’ve waited a really long time.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The touch of the other’s hand on his skin was tender and warm. So gentle, it had reminded Baekhyun of the time where Chanyeol had been his angel—but this time, this was Loey, the fallen angel of Eden, turned into the demon king of Hades that the other immortals of each realm had grown to fear—here he was, caressing Baekhyun’s skin so softly, staring back at him with lovelorn eyes.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun’s glistening eyes burst with tears as he threw his arms around the demon king’s neck again. Somehow, the thought of the latter remembering their past seemed impossible to him. “You have no idea, Chanyeol…” the angel wept, his entire body trembling with each sob. “I’ve missed you so much.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I know.” Baekhyun felt the demon king rubbing his hand on his back to hush him, soothing out his cries. But he could feel the demon’s shoulders trembling, too. “I know. I’ve missed you too. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun shook his head as he basked in the demon king’s embrace, lulled by the rhythm of their synchronized heartbeat. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “As long as you’re here with me now.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>They have both waited for a long time. There was no need for an apology.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>—</span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>His heart felt like it could burst in any minute.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun didn’t think he had ever felt this way towards the demon king before, despite knowing him for ages now. There was something remarkably different when it came to Chanyeol as a demon—beneath his cold and austere demeanor, Baekhyun had noticed that Chanyeol was rather soft-hearted. He might even have a softer heart now than he did back when he was an angel. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun rested his chin on his palm as he quietly watched the demon king crouching next to Hyunjae’s bed, gently brushing away the thin strands of the boy’s hair while the little demon slept. “I can’t believe my actual son has been with me all along and I’ve never noticed.” He heard the demon king murmur.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You had no memory of ever seeing him before,” Baekhyun replied in a whisper. “It’s not like you had intentionally forgotten about him.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>At the low rumble of Chanyeol’s hum, the little boy stirred in his sleep, tossing to the other side before he continued to snore lightly, earning an amused snort from the demon king. “He’s going to hate us if he ever finds out that we’re his parents.” </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel chuckled softly as he glanced at the boy. “We’re terrible parents, aren’t we?” Baekhyun asked. “But then again, we have an entire lifetime to make it up to him, so I suppose that’s okay. He’ll forgive us eventually.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Chanyeol didn’t seem too utterly convinced by his reassurance, but the demon nodded, nonetheless, leaning closer towards Baekhyun to rest his head on the firm surface of the angel’s shoulder as he pulled his knees closer to his chest, so deep in his thoughts.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“What happened to him?” the demon king asked in a mumble. “After I became a fallen angel, I mean. What did the archangel do to him?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Even just by asking the question itself, the demon already seemed pained, as if he was dreading Baekhyun’s answer. Chanyeol must have been frustrated, to be forced to leave his family behind before he was thrown all the way to Hades without a trace of his past memories. It had hurt Baekhyun to reminisce of what had happened back in Eden 61, too. Looking back on it, he felt completely helpless as he watched his husband fall into the abyss of Hell. The mere thought of it had caused his old wounds to resurface. It was a past that the angel refused to ever remember again.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“They turned him into a mortal,” Baekhyun answered grimly, staring down at his lap to distract himself from meeting Chanyeol’s gaze halfway. He was afraid that he might not be able to handle it if he had seen the look on the demon king’s face as he recalled the merciless punishment that befell upon their child.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“What?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“The archangels…” Baekhyun paused to swallow the thorn-sharp lump in his throat. “They sent Hyunjae down to Earth. He was forced to live as a human in a continuous cycle. Even when he’d died, he was reincarnated as the same mortal… for ten centuries.” </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel reached out for the demon’s hand to hold when he saw the way Chanyeol’s fists clenched in anger. He traced his fingers on the bumps of the demon king’s knuckles as a silent assurance that everything was okay. They were okay.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Kyungsoo told me that he’d been watching over Hyunjae for the past centuries,” Baekhyun spoke once more. “I’m thankful to him for that. Without him, Hyunjae wouldn’t even be here by now.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Aren’t you even just a little angry?” Chanyeol frowned. “Kyungsoo was the cause of everything that had happened to us, Baekhyun.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Of course, I was angry. I had to live all alone in Purgatory, restrained for as long as I could remember. I was devastated to have lost both you and Hyunjae, Chanyeol. I cried and screamed so much to the point where I had turned mute,” the angel said. “If Kyungsoo hadn’t done what he did, we wouldn’t have been separated.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Despite the countless amount of time that Kyungsoo had spent apologizing to him after he had entered Hades, Baekhyun still couldn’t help but think about the possibilities of what could have happened if Kyungsoo was not driven by envy. They would have been happy—Baekhyun wouldn’t doubt that—but the angel also knew that if they had remained in Eden, Chanyeol would have been consciously aware of the guilt that he had burdened for committing a supposed sin. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I forgave him.” Baekhyun continued. He glanced at Chanyeol to see the look of disbelief plastered on the demon king’s face. With his thumbs, Baekhyun loosened the deep furrows of Chanyeol’s frown, giving the demon a soft smile. “I don’t expect you to do so, and you don’t have to. But… if it wasn’t for what he did, we wouldn’t be together again, here in Hades. Honestly, I feel like we’ll be happier living here. Don’t you?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Slowly, the demon king nodded. “I guess so…” Chanyeol hesitated before speaking again. “As long as you don’t mind living with demons for the rest of your life.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel beamed as he laughed, leaning over to place a quick kiss on the demon king’s flushed cheek. “I’m okay with it. Besides, I feel like I’m beginning to fall in love with your demonic form. More than I did with your angelic one,” he joked.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I don’t know if I should be flattered or offended,” the demon king retorted with a snort. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“And… in Hades, there would be no one who could punish us for being in love.” Gently, Baekhyun pushed the strands of the demon’s silver locks to get a clearer glimpse of crimson dark eyes. “After all, this is your empire. You make the rules.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>As Chanyeol held him in his embrace—not once letting him go—to make up for all of the time that they had lost, Baekhyun deemed that it was worth the wait.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“It’s midnight,” he stated, stifling a yawn. “Can you let me go so I can watch the moonlight?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The sturdy arms that were wrapped around his waist fell with disappointment as Chanyeol frowned at him. “Are you serious?” The demon’s scowl turned even darker as the silence went on. “You’re seriously leaving me to go and stare at the moon?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I’m not leaving you.” Baekhyun laughed as he grabbed onto the demon king’s hand, tugging him up on his feet. “Stop acting so dramatic.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon trailed after him as Baekhyun sauntered towards the demon king’s chamber as if it was his own, heading for the marbled railing of the demon’s balcony, where the moonlight shone best. The angel’s eyes gleamed with elation as he stared. No other view could compare to the way the stars of Hades glimmered at night, like sparkles splattered across the canvass of the sky.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>As if he was entranced by the sight of flickering lights, Baekhyun’s wings had fluttered as he lifted his feet off the floor, tempted to soar into the air just so he could get an even closer look of the moon. But before the angel could begin to fly, a wandering hand plucked at his feather, pulling a startled yelp out of him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You’re not going anywhere,” the demon king deadpanned with an unamused expression.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun let out a sheepish laugh as he felt a scorching heat travelling up from his neck to his face. The enthralling moonshine had almost made him forget that the demon was right there with him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Sorry,” Baekhyun said, yet he remained floating mid-air, reaching his hand out for the demon king to take. “Come and fly around with me, then.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>To his transient disappointment, the demon king shook his head adamantly. “I don’t fly.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Come on,” he could not help but whine. “I know you have wings. I’ve seen them before!”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I don’t like them.” Chanyeol looked away. He had always been stubborn—even when the demon king was still his guardian angel, he had been rather mulish. At the very least, that was the one thing about him that did not change at all. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“But they’re pretty,” Baekhyun prevailed on, jutting his lips to form a small pout. He knew it couldn’t take too long to persuade the demon, but as the seconds passed, the angel began to grow more and more impatient.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Chanyeol yelled in surprise as Baekhyun pulled him by his hand, almost hoisting up from the balcony. “Baekhyun—” the demon choked, his lanky legs flailing in the air. “I’m never going to forgive you if you drop me.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Even if I do, you can fly on your own, can’t you?” Baekhyun teased as he playfully pretended to release the demon king from his hold. “Come on, demon, show me your wings.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Fine—fine!” Chanyeol exclaimed with a grunt, but the angel could still see the small grin present on the demon’s face.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king pulled away from Baekhyun’s hold before stygian black wings appeared before him, expanding bit by bit as Chanyeol balanced himself mid-air, shooting a harmless glare towards the angel while he was at it. Baekhyun’s mouth hung in astonishment as he stared at the pair of dark wings that had almost hindered the view of the shining moon. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“See,” the angel murmured. “They’re so pretty, they don’t deserve to be concealed all the time.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Stop calling them pretty,” Chanyeol grumbled, rubbing his arm as he glanced elsewhere.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The vast wings had long environed any sight of light, the sky darkening with each flutter. Baekhyun could only see the pair of red eyes staring back at him with concern, as if the demon king was worried that the loss of light from their surroundings might terrify him. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>With a soft smile, Baekhyun glided closer towards the demon king, unafraid. He rested his arms on the demon’s shoulders, feeling the other’s wings closing around him until there was nothing but black. In spite of being blinded by the darkness that surrounded him, Baekhyun could still cradle the demon king’s jaw in his hands as he had long memorized every slope that trailed from Chanyeol’s face down to his entire body. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The angel brought their foreheads closer together, chuckling gently when he felt the soft feathers of the demon king’s wings tickling his nape. “I love you,” he whispered against Chanyeol’s mouth. “Even if you’d ended up not remembering me or the life we had, I’d still love you regardless.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun had quivered within Chanyeol’s grasp as the demon’s lips slanted against his, pulling a helpless whimper out of his mouth as he struggled to catch a breath. “I adore you, Baekhyun,” the demon king said as they pulled away. Again, and again, he pressed short kisses in between each profession of his adoration. “I don’t think you know just how much I love you.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Somehow, it was as if the time he had spent in Purgatory hadn’t mattered now that he was here, comforted and content with his arms slithered around Chanyeol’s body as their entire figures were enclosed by the demon’s wings.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>And the rest of the time Baekhyun had spent with the demon that night had gone by in a blur—all he could remember was the way his fingers tangled in Chanyeol’s hair when the latter had pressed him up against the wall of the demon king’s chamber, feeling his breath hitch as he jolted from the heat of the demon’s warm hands wandering all over his skin.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>ABYSS, HADES 04 — CHANYEOL</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <span>
      <span>EPILOGUE</span>
    </span>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king sat up on his bed in haste as his head snapped towards the door, glaring holes into the rattling doorknob. “For fuck’s sake, it’s not locked!” Chanyeol yelled, throwing one of his pillows to the door before it fell to the floor with a low thud. He watched as the doorknob twisted slowly, grimacing when it creaked. His heart started picking up its pace while he anticipated a certain face, only to be greeted with Sehun’s lazy grin as the grim reaper’s head popped out from the small crack of the door’s opening.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Good morning,” the grim reaper whistled.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Oh.” the demon king huffed. “It’s just you.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Chanyeol rolled his eyes before he fell back on his bed, stifling an embarrassing sob as he took in the coldness of the emptier side of the mattress. Sehun gave him a chortle before he fully smacked the door open, hopping on his feet as he approached the bed. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Come on, don’t be so grumpy.” The grim reaper poked Chanyeol’s cheek, grinning. “I know I’m not Baekhyun, but you could at least <i>pretend </i>to look excited to see me.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king groaned against the soft fabric of his pillow before he hid his face on the surface of it completely. “Get out,” he said, husky voice muffled.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It’s been two weeks since Baekhyun went back to Eden 61. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Despite Chanyeol’s yells of protest, the angel was adamant on returning to the tainted place that people had referred to as their heaven. The demon king had even tugged onto Baekhyun’s hand as he whined, pleading for the angel not to go, but the latter had insisted that he needed to head to Eden. And now, Chanyeol was left alone to grouch on the half-empty bed, waiting for the love of his life to return into his embrace as he reminisced the last few minutes they had together before Baekhyun left.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>“I’ll be back soon. I promise,” </span>
      </span>
    </i>
    <span>
      <span>was what the angel had said to him, distracting Chanyeol from the main problem completely as he smooched the demon king’s face all over.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>“What if they won’t let you leave?” </span>
      </span>
    </i>
    <span>
      <span>Chanyeol had asked. It was a reasonable question, but the angel seemed as if he didn’t think so.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <i>
      <span>
        <span>“I’ve eaten human lungs and I’ve made love with the devil,” </span>
      </span>
    </i>
    <span>
      <span>came Baekhyun’s snarky reply. <i>“Do you really think Eden would want to keep an angel like me?”</i></span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The fact that Baekhyun had clearly refused to tell Chanyeol the reason <i>why </i>he had to head to Eden 61 bothered the demon king even more—what is there to see in Eden? Who was even there for the angel to talk to? </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The archangel?</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Chanyeol scoffed, thrashing on his bed as he began to overthink again. He was almost reaching the very limit of his patience—if Kyungsoo and Sehun weren’t there to stop him, the demon king would’ve gone to Eden 61 himself and dragged Baekhyun back to Hades 04 along with him. Corrupted archangel be damned. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The grim reaper, who had occasionally visited Eden 61 from time to time, constantly reassured him that Baekhyun was doing fine—but Chanyeol couldn’t just blindly believe his words. He needed to see the angel for himself—he wanted Baekhyun to be right there with him, desperately needed to make sure that his angel was safe. But as Chanyeol kept waiting by the gates of Abyss, Baekhyun had yet to return. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Chanyeol sighed. He lifted his head from the comfort of his pillow to face the grim reaper crouching by his bed stand. “When will you go to Eden again?” Chanyeol asked with a tired yawn.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Next week, most probably.” Sehun shrugged.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Take me with you.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It was more of a demand rather than a gentle plea. As a response, the grim reaper grabbed the abandoned pillow on the floor and chucked right towards his head.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Look, I just came here to tell you that I’m taking Kyungsoo out to Tartarus City to get a bite to eat,” the grim reaper grumbled. “Do you want to come with us, or nah?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Chanyeol shot a sharp glare to the grim reaper’s way, crimson red eyes burning holes through the latter’s cloak. “Do I look like I’m in the right mind to go out and have fun right now? Baekhyun could be abducted!” the demon king snapped. “What if he’s being restrained in Purgatory 11 again?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“He’s doing fine, Chanyeol,” the grim reaper told him with an exaggerated sigh. “Really. Just have some patience and loosen up a little. Baekhyun will be back soon.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I don’t know if I can trust the words of someone who lied to me for ten whole centuries,” the demon king retorted bitterly, huffing as he got out of bed. “But I’ll trust you one last time, reaper. If I ever find out that Baekhyun is in danger—”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You can get me killed and have my head on a plate. By all means.” The grim reaper interrupted him with a smirk. “Now, if you’re done complaining about your missing lover, please excuse me while I go on a date with your butler.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>—</span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Yet another piece of paper was seared with the mild flames that erupted from the little demon’s palms. Chanyeol watched helplessly as the small bits of fire burned through the handwritten equation that he had previously jot down on the paper. The demon king slammed his hands on his face, trying his best not to groan out of stress and possibly upset the boy sitting in front of him.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I’m sorry…” A quiet sob left Hyunjae’s mouth. “I couldn’t control it.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You can’t control bursting your Math homework into flames, but you can control eating ten sticks of human lung candies in one sitting without even slightly burning one up?” Chanyeol raised a curious brow as he asked. “I’m beginning to think that your flames are a little biased.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Hyunjae scrunched his face as he kept his eyes shut, forcing a fat drop of tear to roll down his cheek as he put on his signature pout. Each day, the boy had never failed to show the traits that he had imitated from his other father—the angel. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“But I just don’t understand why I still have homework to do even when I’m in the afterlife…” Hyunjae hiccupped, rubbing his eyes with small clenched fists. “I hate you, Loey.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You take that back, tiny.” Chanyeol frowned, jabbing on the tiny demon’s forehead with his pen. “I’ll give you a deal—if you answer this question right here correctly, we can wrap this up and you can go to sleep.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The boy’s eyes shone with hope as he glanced at the simple mathematical question before he turned to the demon king again. “Will I get a snack if I get it right?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“No,” Chanyeol answered without hesitating.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Hyunjae’s adorable beam faltered almost instantly, the light in his eyes turning a little dimmer. “But Baekhyun gives me a snack every time I do something good,” the tiny demon mumbled under his breath.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king pursed his lips before he sighed. “Well, he’s not here for now, is he? Play under my rules, kid.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The little boy grumbled, spilling a string of complaints as if Chanyeol wasn’t right there in front of him, listening to every single word. The demon king laughed lightly as he leaned over to ruffle the tiny demon’s hair. “Get it done in five minutes and I’ll consider giving you a snack. A special one—no, an expensive one,” Chanyeol promised with a knowing smirk. “The one that Baekhyun can’t afford.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You got yourself a deal!” Hyunjae shrieked with glee before he continued to scribble on the sample equation that the demon had provided earlier on. But the way the tiny demon’s brows furrowed deeply in focus, Chanyeol figured that he could let the boy’s silly mistake go. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Just this once.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Do you miss him?” Hyunjae asked, with his gaze still attached to the paper.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Huh?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Baekhyun,” the boy clarified. “Do you miss him?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Chanyeol stared at the scattered papers across the massive table, rendered speechless from the little demon’s abrupt question. “Well… yeah,” the demon king answered truthfully. “I miss him a lot.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“I miss him a lot too,” the boy murmured with a sniffle. “I hope he’ll be back soon.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“He will,” Chanyeol replied. He sounded like he was not even sure of himself at this point.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There were plenty of horrible things that the demon king had seen in his life—inhumane and extremely cruel things—but the sight of Hyunjae’s saddened expression was more than enough to get Chanyeol to splutter in panic as he tried to come up with a line of reassurance that Baekhyun would most certainly be back soon.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>He would, wouldn’t he?</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>In the end, the demon king had resorted to a gentle promise. “He’ll come back. Cross my heart.” Chanyeol gave the boy a feigned smile. “Besides, it’s only been two weeks. You have to stop being so clingy.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“But two weeks is really a long time,” Hyunjae mumbled sadly.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king nodded in agreement as he caressed the boy’s head, giving him a pinch on his chubby red cheek to try and cheer him up a little bit. “At least it’s not a ten-century wait this time,” Chanyeol quipped.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>As he had expected, Hyunjae had flashed him a confused look before huffing with dissatisfaction from the lack of comfort that the demon king had failed to provide. But that’s okay—for now, the boy did not need to understand just yet. Perhaps soon, Chanyeol and Baekhyun could find the perfect time to tell the little demon a snippet of his past.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>But only if the angel chose to return to Hades 04.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>—</span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Right after the boy had gone to sleep, Chanyeol sauntered into the hallway leading towards his own chamber, stifling a yawn as he stretched his tired arms. But no matter how exhausted he was, the demon king had dreaded going to sleep. Not once did he ever dream again—this time, falling asleep felt like he was plummeting down to a pit of nothingness, surrounded by the absence of light. Even the thought of going to sleep was grueling.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>It didn’t help that Chanyeol tended to toss and turn at night, opting to stare at the moonlight shining from the view of his balcony, where his angel would have been waiting for him each night. Throughout the fortnight that the demon king had to spend without Baekhyun, Chanyeol kept his gaze steady on the way the moon shone, but even the mere sight of it had him stricken with sadness and yearning.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king could not help but laugh at himself for being so weak; back in Purgatory 11, Baekhyun had been waiting for him for ten centuries—now, it was barely a month since his angel had left for Eden 61, and Chanyeol already felt like he was going insane. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Chanyeol carded his fingers through his hair as he heaved a sigh, striding towards his bed as soon as he had arrived in his chamber. Before he could hop on his bed and spend yet another sleepless night, the demon felt a sharp gust of wind flurrying through the small slit in his curtain that hindered the view of his balcony.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king staggered back, alarmed as he scrutinized the half-opened French windows, shuddering when the cold breeze of the night hit his skin. As his palms began to ignite with flames on his account, Chanyeol braced himself to face the potential danger that might welcome him as soon as he headed out to the terrace of his chamber.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>When he had stepped out, the demon king was greeted with the sight of great black wings that had almost mirrored his own. Chanyeol frowned once he realized that the intruder was languidly resting on the marbled railing of his balcony, facing the bright moon.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You,” the demon king spoke with caution. “Who are you, and what do you want?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>As the immortal that possessed those dark stygian wings turned to look at him, Chanyeol’s heart skipped a beat. Red lidded eyes blinked back at him, and Chanyeol could not find the strength in himself to catch a single breath. </span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>There he was.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>The demon king’s angel. There he was, sitting by Chanyeol’s balcony at midnight like he always did, but this time, he no longer had his snowy white wings and bright glistening eyes. Instead, Chanyeol saw a pair of vermillion eyes staring back at him. The soft smile was still present, albeit it was complemented with a set of fangs that had reflected the moonlight when the cherry lips curved into a knowing grin.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Why do you look so surprised?” Baekhyun asked after what felt like an eternity of silence as Chanyeol tried to take in the sight that befell him. “I told you that I’ll be back.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“What—” the demon king choked, pointing towards Baekhyun’s exterior. “What do you mean, <i>why </i>do I look surprised?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“Oh, right. This.” Baekhyun chuckled gently once he lowered his head to glance at his own body. “I almost forgot that I look like this now.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>“You…” Chanyeol swallowed, staring in disbelief. “You’re a demon?”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Baekhyun gave him a hesitant nod, cowering back as the demon king stepped closer towards him. “Yes, I… I pleaded to become a fallen angel,” Baekhyun replied. “I went to see the archangels and told them that I didn’t want to repent on the sins that the both of us made, so they—I was turned into… this.”</span>
    </span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>
      <span>Chanyeol’s jaw hung in shock as his wide eyes wandered all over Baekhyun’s body, taking the angel’s sudden change of appearance into detail. He tugged onto the black satin robe that was draped on the former angel’s bare shoulders, feeling its texture beneath his fingertips before he came to a realization.</span>
    </span>
  </span>
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      <span>“B-Baekhyun,” Chanyeol stammered, unsure of how to begin. “Baby, you’re not just a demon—you’re an incubus…”</span>
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      <span>The apparent incubus scratched the back of his neck sheepishly with an unsure smile. “Is that… a bad thing?” Baekhyun asked, a hint of innocence still evident in the glint of his reddened eyes. “What does an incubus usually do?”</span>
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      <span>By then, the demon king was at a loss for words, unable to process the sudden event that had preceded him. For now, he had to do the first thing that came to mind. Chanyeol pulled the other demon into his arms, craving for his lover’s touch as he pressed an immediate kiss on the other’s lips. “I missed you,” he whispered as they pulled away.</span>
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      <span>“I missed you too,” Baekhyun replied with a smile. “I’m sorry for being gone for too long… But I’m here now.”</span>
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      <span>“I know you said that you’ll be back, but I didn’t expect you to come back looking like this,” the demon king said truthfully, cradling the incubus’ face in his hands. Still, even as a demon, Baekhyun still held the same amount of adoration in his eyes as he stared up at the demon king. </span>
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      <span>“Do you hate it?” Baekhyun asked quietly, a look of concern painted across his face. “I’m still getting used to it. I accidentally bit my tongue with my teeth just now… They’re a lot sharper now.”</span>
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      <span>“I don’t hate it at all.” Chanyeol shook his head with a soft chuckle. “It’ll take you a while to get used to this.”</span>
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      <span>“I’m a little scared, honestly,” Baekhyun confessed, blinking up at him innocently. “I’m afraid I might unintentionally bite someone to death.”</span>
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      <span>The demon king had burst into a fit of laughter as he brought the fallen angel closer to him. “I don’t think that’s ever going to happen,” he replied. He wasn’t exactly sure how to explain to Baekhyun on how the different types of demon functioned, but the two of them would have plenty of time for that soon. “That’s… not quite what an incubus does.”</span>
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      <span>“Will you teach me how to act like a proper demon, then?” </span>
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      <span>The fallen angel had his head tilted as he smiled at the demon king, and Chanyeol could not even begin to explain how much his heart had swelled with the immense love he held for the incubus standing before him. With a tug of Baekhyun’s hand, the demon king pulled him into the warmth of his chamber.</span>
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      <span>“Alright, I’ll teach you,” Chanyeol said, laughing gently. “No worries, angel. I’ll be right here with you.”</span>
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